How Far We've Come
by Holding Onto Faith
Summary: Keiko's cousin, Katsumi, moves back home to find that there's a lot more to Keiko and the life she leads now than there was before she left. Katsumi gets swept off into Keiko's new world and the dangers in between. As the world keeps turning, the threats of evil keep rising only for good to come down on top of it. Where will Katsumi's place be in this world? HIEIXOC maybe? ;O
1. Chapter 1: Anywhere But Here

Bright hazel eyes searched strategically between the cardboard signs held up with various names on it. She was at the airport, freshly landed, and the sign finally popped up with her name scribbled over it: Yukimura Katsumi. The handwriting had to be Yusuke's, because Keiko's was very elegant. It had to be, she was a prestigious teacher after all, and Katsumi had never met a teacher with chicken-scratch handwriting.

A small frown lined her lips to just see a driver, and Katsumi nudged through the throng of people to reach him. He wore the standard black suit and hat, a crisp smile on his face and bold, almost black brown eyes. It must have meant her father sent a driver with Keiko and her idiot of a fiancé to pick her up. She was hoping to see Mr. Yukio, their family driver, who she knew since she was a kid. He must have retired, she thought. A small wave of goosebumps trailed down her arms and her stomach flittered with butterflies. It has been years since she came back to Japan, and she felt completely out of her element.

"You must be Ms. Katsumi. I am Mr. Yukimura's driver Mr. Atsuki. Your friends wait for you in the car." Katsumi smiled, and did not even realize he had already retrieved her bags for her. It was a weird feeling she felt, as if she were in a dream, time obeyed her commands, and not the other way around. He glanced at her, waiting for an answer, and she flushed with embarrassment from finally realizing it.

"Yes, I am. Thank you for getting my bags for me. I do not know where my manners are, I just assumed to see Mr. Yukio."

A small sullen look flashed over his face before taking a breath to answer her, his free hand placing a sincere comfort on her shoulder.

"Mr. Yukio passed away a few months back, I am sorry to be the one to inform you, Ms. Yukimura, but I do think we need to be making our way."

Katsumi's eyes brimmed with tears before she nodded and blinked them back. He was, in her family's eyes, a part of the family for them even if he did work for them. Crossing her arms uncomfortably over her chest, she followed Mr. Atsuki to the exit where a black town car was awaiting them. Bursting out of the door was Keiko, and slammed face first into Katsumi before she could even stretch her arms out to break her fall.

"Oh my Kami, Kat! It's been way too long. I have missed your letters, but I am glad at least we had each other's blogs to see for updates. How are you? How is Mittens? Did you and that-"

"Jeeze, Keiko, give her time to catch her breath. You literally just knocked the wind out of her." Yusuke mumbled, stepping out on the other side of the car. After Keiko lent a hand to help Katsumi rise to her feet, she immediately brushed her black hair from her face. My back is going to be killing me, Katsumi thought, but was overjoyed to have her favorite cousin back… face to face.

"Keiko, we will just need a girl's night, and no, Yusuke, that does not include you!" She teased, sticking out her tongue at him. He was just as she remembered, but maybe taller... and his face held a stronger and more mature grace about it. But she could see the little boy she used to know in the glint of his brown eyes.

"Oh yes, because a girl's night sounds like so much fun to be a part of." Yusuke snorted before pulling Katsumi into a hug. She smiled widely, almost cheekily. Mr. Atsuki gazed at the adults, it was clear they had known each other since they were little kids, and he was almost envious that he wasn't around to have witnessed it.

"Pfft, you're just mad because you won't get me to paint your nails!" She teased, and Keiko laughed in response. Just as they were all gathered into the vehicle, and Katsumi clicking her seatbelt into place, she realized something.

"You said Mittens! Mr. Atsuki, you got Mittens right?" Yusuke rolled his eyes before Keiko elbowed him in the gut on instinct. Kat and Mr. Atsuki glanced over to them with a raised brow at his sudden pained yelp.

"Yes, instead of riding with us, they had him directly escorted to the house."

"I forget how… well off Uncle Hisao is," Keiko laughed nervously, glancing at Kat. The girl smiled in return before leaning into her older cousin. She looked up to Keiko a lot, despite only being a year older. She was always a reinforcing hand, but she had to be, she was going to be married to that one, Kat thought, glancing at Keiko's hand.

"So… when were you going to tell me "the jerk" was going to be officially apart of the family…" Her eyes flared with a teasing glitter, Keiko laughing nervously in embarrassment. She was surprised Yusuke hadn't retorted, but he had taken to looking out the window, completely distracted. A worried look settled within Keiko before turning back to her cousin.

"Well, to be honest, I was going to tell you when I planned to ask for you to be my Maid of Honor."

"Maid of Honor!? Oh my, what an honor indeed," she squealed almost instantly but then a panic fled over her whole body.

"You do realize what the job duties of the Maid of Honor are, right Keiko?" As much as she was swelled with pride to be even considered a bridesmaid for how long they have been apart, she had never planned anything or done duties similar to what a Maid of Honor does.

"You'll have the other bridesmaids, and myself, and my mother to help. Don't stress it!"

Katsumi smiled, placing her hand into Keiko's. The airport was an hour away from the Yukimura's diner, and just another half hour away from her family's estates. Though were was a drastic change in financial status between the two Yukimura brothers, it never influenced the family in any shape. They were all there for one another, whether it be financially, emotionally, or just for a good laugh. It's the one thing she truly missed about her family.

 _Unpacking was the worst, Katsumi thought, as she tore into box after box. It has been a week since her arrival. Keiko was quick to introduce her to everyone, and it made Katsumi swell up with embarrassment. It meant a lot that her cousin thought so dearly of her. Wiping the sweat from her brow, she turned around at her fat orange cat named Mittens who mewed at her as if he was 2months old and needing his Momma._

 _"Mittens, I just fed you and loved on you, Momma is busy trying to get this apartment together." Another stubborn mew escaped his lips before he found himself inside one of the opened and unpacked boxes. Rolling her eyes, she put her hands on her hips and gazed around. It wasn't a small apartment, and it was not in a bad neighborhood, but she felt proud for her achievements. Finally receiving her nursing degree, it was easy for her to come home and find a job at the local hospital. She had thought about becoming a doctor, but Kat really didn't want to spend almost a decade in additional schooling. Maybe one day she will become specialized in an area, but for now, she was doing a rotation at Yukamto General Hospital in the pediatrics department._

 _Though she knew her parent's wanted her to someday take over their business when they retire, it was far from her own dream… Maybe someday she could make it a side interest, but with a partner she trusted to handle all the really important business aspects. She had the whole people-part down, she was a nurse after all!_

 _A buzzing in her pocket broke her from her thoughts, and she reached into her favorite pair of hip hugging jeans and pulled out the cellphone._

 _"Hey Keiko, what's going on?" Kat nodded and nodded again before replying to the girl who was speaking into her ear a mile a minute._

 _"I'm just unpacking-" The girl rolled her eyes in almost agitation. "Yes, I can pack by myself! I just want to… unwind before anyone comes over here. To get things situated…"_

 _A loud noise broke in her living room, and she cursed loudly in shock, her soul feeling about ready to jump out of her body from the surprise._

 _"Keiko, I have to let you go, I think Mittens just knocked over something of mine…" But Katsumi's eyes trailed to Mittens, who just hopped out of the abandoned box to examine the noise._

 _"Oh what the fuck, Keiko… call the cops or something. Someone- What the fuck is that!" Katsumi yelled, the fear escalating her vocabulary, indicating Yusuke had a huge effect on her choice of words after all these years._

 _He… It, barely fit through the door. Long talons the size of two of her fingers put together clutched on the door frame. The skin was scaly, and angry, harsh yellow eyes bore after her. Katsumi instantly froze, the blood flooding from her face and a lump filling in her stomach. She couldn't move. All she could hear was her heartbeat warning her in the back of her throat to do anything._

 _"Ah…" He spoke, sharp fangs revealing into a gnarly smile. "I like them better when they are filled with fear." The perversion which lingered on the back of his words like a parasite made a twitch in her temple. Anger started to flood through her like a broken damn._

 _"What the fuck do you think an ugly Barney dinosaur is doing in my goddamn new apartment?!" He looked confused at first by her comment, but understood it as an insult, ducking his head to enter her room with a snarl on his lips. This had to be a joke, right? Her inner spirit flailed around, bantering at her as she tried to process this._

 _"You will be tasty, I can tell." He laughed mockingly, and just as Katsumi turned to call, her brown hair whipping behind her, he caught her arm and pulled her to him before his fangs leaned down close to her…._

"NOOOOO!" She screamed, lurching forward from the bed, sweat covering her body in a slick coat. Her hair fell in sweaty tendrils around her and hands instantly swept it away from her face. Her tank top was soaked as she glanced around the dark room. Her still packed boxes stacked all along the bare wall, untouched except for her necessities.

"Kami, is this a sign I need to start unpacking?" She wailed between available breaths, her heart going off like a machine gun.

Disclaimers: I do not own any Yu Yu Hakusho characters, unfortunately, they are the work of a GOD. Haha ;P.

A/N: Let me know what you think! This story is a last minute inspiration, and I was surprised I typed 6 pages of words so fast. Please be civil in your reviews... I am trying to get the hang of writing again. Been inspired by a couple of writers here on Fanfic to give it a go again. x0x0 - Holding Onto Faith

 **EDIT: Beginning to edit the chapters that are already posted before I post the next chapter, chapter 10.**


	2. Chapter 2: Safety In The Darkness

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu Yu Hakusho, I only own the characters I have created.

A/N: Wow, this chapter is pretty lengthy compared to the first chapter. Please review and throw suggestions my way. It's always encouraging! My muse is back with a vengeance and I hope to have Chapter 3 up sometime tonight or by tomorrow night. Thanks for reading xoxo. - Holding Onto Faith

"I am so fucking starvvvveeeed," Kat whined, gripping the side of the table, as if to somehow pull the food towards her that she saw a waiter carrying to another table. At a table for eight, the restaurant was chic, in an American retro way. It had old posters of old classic rock groups, guitars hanging up, along with various decorum. The walls themselves were this strange texture of a dark blue, and felt as if people had just splashed paint randomly. It gave the restaurant its own vibe and authentic feeling as you walked in.

They even had a section of the wall were customers could write or draw something to mark that they were there. A sign held neatly with one rule, and it read: You may draw whatever you want, but please, never over someone else's work. It was pretty neat. It was low-lit, and very crowded. The smell of food could be smelt a mile away, and they were never not busy.

"As if you are the only one!" Yusuke snorted at her with a look of annoyance, before ducking from the arm which came to smack him in the back of his head. They had been waiting for over an hour for their food. Mostly the men, including Katsumi, were on edge from being hungry and surrounded by unattainable food.

"I am too fast for you now, Kitty Kat," Katsumi growled at her soon to be cousin-in-law and was about to pounce out of her seat when Kuwabara placed a hand on her shoulder to settle her down.

"He ain't worth it, besides, you don't want to get kicked out and not get your food." Keiko glanced over at Kuwabara with a silent thank you. He was right, and surprisingly reasonable, their food should be coming any minute, she hopped, and she couldn't stand another stomach rumble. He nodded in turn before his arm went back around Yukina. The redhead known as Kurama looked over next to his dear friend, Hiei, who seemed to be seething in his very seat at the sight of Kuwabara touching her.

A vein, Kurama could have sworn, was throbbing in his forehead. His crimson red eyes threw Kat off, but there was something she liked about them, despite that there was ever hardly emotion in them aside from anger and annoyance. The death glare was sent Kurama's way the moment the redhead let out a soft chuckle at his friend's humor

"He makes a very good point. I think we are all just ready to get something in our stomachs," Yukina, with her soft spoken voice, smiled up at everyone in hopes to calm them. With that, Kat relaxed and fell back into her seat indefinitely, her hands playing with the cloth napkin laying across her lap. She was trying not to notice the worried looks Keiko would pass onto Yusuke. She herself did notice something off, like something was weighing on his shoulders. Yusuke wasn't around as much as she would've expected, and she felt like Keiko was lying to her every time he was gone for a few days at a time.

There was definitely something different about Yusuke and Kuwabara that was different from the times she hung out as them as kids, and early on when they were teenagers before she went to study abroad. Yusuke wasn't as loud or obnoxious, and he didn't fight with Kuwabara as much. _He had the demeanor of a leader, but he was still a jerkface_ , Kat thought smiling. A jerkface she was proud to have as a friend, and a part of her family. Even though the big goof Kuwabara wasn't marrying into her family, she considered him a part of it as well.

"I agree with Yukina, it goes to show what type of tip someone will be getting," Shizuru piped in, finding an ashtray for her cigarette. This was one of the few restaurants which didn't prohibit smoking, and one of the main reasons she wanted to eat here. Also, she said they had a variety of culture food that was very delicious, and it made sense when you walked into the restaurant. Katsumi was always up for trying things out of their normal culture, it was nice to explore diversity. Little did she know there was more diversity at their table between the people who sat there.

Yusuke, Kuwabara, Yukina, Shizuru, Keiko, Kurama, and surprisingly Hiei all showed up for the feast. It was to celebrate Katsumi's return to Japan. She just tried to pretend she had known all of them for a really long time to make things less awkward for herself. It was how she dealt with situations, despite her general anxiety in social events.

"But he knows I hate that nickname… I was hoping he would have forgotten," she pouted, eyes turning to the three new people she just met earlier today. In her eyes, Kurama was a gorgeous pretty boy with stunning green eyes, and from what she could tell, very intellectual. He was very quiet, but attentive.

 _Yukina was just sweet as pie, literally._ Katsumi smiled at the thought. She could never think of Yukina harming a thing, let alone being angry at anyone. She also seemed to be very patient, something Kat lacked herself, obviously. Shizuru was basically like the older sister she wish she had, and she was slightly jealous of Kuwabara for it. Despite how she rid his ass, she would have loved to have an older sister to watch her back and challenge her to become better. _Well, I guess that's why I have Keiko_ , Kat thought to herself. Then there was the silent one, who did not a thing except made some sort of sound at her when she introduced herself. _'Hn', was it?_ Shaking her head, she was amazed by the diversity of new people Keiko seemed to be real close with.

"While we wait SOME MORE…" She emphasized on those words as a waiter passed by, squinting her eyes at him. "I didn't get to tell you about the dream I had Keiko, and now I'll share it with everyone!" Keiko raised an eyebrow, and she caught the looks of most at the table, except Hiei. His wandered off with a bored expression.

"If it's about your love obsession with Dave Grohl-"

"Do not diss Foo Fighters again, or I'll rip your throat out! Dave Grohl is the hottest man alive, and I'd be lucky to have him star in my dreams!" Kat hissed at him, eyes narrowing sharply, before her attention turned to the others. Keiko giggled lightly at her cousin. Kat made sure to make contact with everyone, so as not to single the group out with her storytelling. She knew how it could feel when you're the new person in a group and most have a deep history and share old stories that you were not a part of, or maybe the roles were reversed, but she didn't want to just converse with her cousin and seclude everyone else.

"So basically I was unpacking! With Mittens, when someone broke into the apartment-"

"Are problems like that known where your apartment complex resides?" Kurama asked, usually not one to butt into so abruptly. "Not to cut you off and be rude, Katsumi, but sometimes those worries reflect in our subconscious." Shizuru nodded with this, propping her chin her hand, her elbow resting on the table.

"Often happens with myself. The subconscious deals with things our conscious normally can't." Kat smiled before shaking her head. She was warmed that they were so keen to her already. She could tell Keiko made some people you definitely want as friends.

"Well unless I am afraid of a dinosaur, or demon, looking blue thing in my conscious, I have no idea how a large monster with sharp talons and fangs appeared in my dream. Or what it is supposed to represent. It was so gross. He said he could smell my fear, and he liked it better like that!" Katsumi was surprised when she got Hiei's and Yusuke's attention as well as the others. Their eyes widened a bit at her dream, the waiter finally arriving and placing food down in front of them. They all had ordered something different, and Kat's stomach and Kuwabara's echoed a rumbling order from the stomach to begin eating.

"I took it as a sign that I needed to unpack." Katsumi laughed the dream off, taking a bite of her food, resisting the urge to be savage about it. The others gave each other subtle glances while digging into their own food. "Though I haven't been terrified from a dream in a long time like that. I woke up with it trying to rip my neck off."

Once dinner took off and the group said their goodbyes, Yusuke, Keiko, and Kat headed towards the Yukimura Ramen Shop where Keiko still lived with her father and mother. The walk began silent, Katsumi trudging behind the both of them, and she could see the way they glanced at each other. Yusuke didn't reach out to grab her hand, but she could tell the looks meant more.

"So… you want to tell me what's been bugging ya, jerkface?" She teased lightly, causing Keiko to glance back at her nervously with a small laugh. Yusuke shoved his hands in his jeans as he continued to walk.

"It's hardly any of yer fucking business!" The sudden anger made Kat wince, feeling slightly offended. Her shoulders tensed as her eyes burned holes in the back of his head.

"Just wanted to know if it's something I need to worry about since Keiko keeps lying about where you disappear off to." She snapped back, arms crossing over chest. She could tell they both stiffened slightly, and she mentally shook her head on what horrible liars they were to her.

Kat didn't know if it was her specifically, but she hoped for their sake it was. She was surprised the hothead kept his mouth shut, when normally he'd be getting into a heated argument with her. He lived for opportunities for a fight. It had to be one big secret if Keiko was hiding it from even her, as well, she thought, looking down and picking at her cuticles. The air was chilly against the skin as they reached the ramen shop, and a yawn escaped her lips.

"I thought I'd spend some time with you Keiko, but I think I am just going to head back to the apartment." Keiko looked at her cousin, a little hurt at the dismissal. Yusuke had already entered the ramen shop without a word to either one of them.

"You don't really have to go, Kat." She said softly, the burden of the secret weighing in her chest. "I am sorry I am not telling you everything. Just know it's for you, rather than for us." Kat tried to understand, and her heart reached out for her. This was going to rake at her mind for a while, she could tell, but instead she pulled Keiko into a hug. "I understand. I am really going to just go to bed though, I am on call, and I don't want to feel this sleepy if I do get called in. I love ya, you know. It'll be okay, no matter what is going on. It'll work itself out."

Before Keiko could reply, Katsumi spun on her heels and headed in the direction her apartment was in. Normally she would protest, but she did not want to get in a fight with her cousin, not so soon upon her arrival. With a sigh, Keiko walked into the ramen shop, plopping a seat next to Yusuke who gently placed his arm around the top of her shoulders. She accepted in silence by slumping into his side, shoving her cellphone into her back pocket of her jeans. Mr. Yukimura was closing up shop as they sat, wiping down the kitchenware, watching his daughter and future son-in-law with a knowing smile.

"You think it was a good idea letting her walk home alone?" Yusuke mumbled with annoyance, his brows furrowing, his free hand running through his black hair slicking it back out of his face. _It was definitely time for a haircut_ , he noted mentally.

"I hope she will be okay, I just texted her to let me know when she's safe in the apartment." There was a silent pause between them before she whispered. "Yusuke… You haven't been yourself since…"

"Yeah, I know. There's a lot of obligations, and a lot on the weight of my shoulders. I am trying to balance here and the Makai, Keiko, as much as I can."

"I know its Makai affairs, but Yusuke, I will help you in any way I can, you know that." His hand slid down from his head with a genuine kind smile, placing a finger to her lips before kissing her forehead. "I know, I am grateful for you." Just then, his hand slid down from her shoulder to reach for a grab at her unguarded chest with a mischievous smile.

Keiko sat straight, flushed red before a loud **SLAP** could be heard and rambling of anger as she shot up from the table and stomped up to the stairs to the second floor. Her stomps became heavier with the sound of Mr. Yukimura howling in laughter.

Yusuke smirked, and waved cheekily at Mr. Yukimura who only shook his head in turn, his laughter muffling. He stood up after a few seconds and took his leave to head home as well.

Mr. Yukimura followed after him and closed shop behind him.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, Katsumi opened the door to the apartment. It was completely bare, except for Mittens running up to her at the sound of her keys jangling. A constant reminder that she needed to get settled, but she just had not found the motivation. This week was sluggish, and her hours at work, hell, the life a nurse was being constantly tired. Kat leaned down and gave the cat some affection before shutting the door behind her and locking it tight. She reached into her back pocket as she made her way to the kitchen, her cell phone fitting snug in her hand.

 **Made it home. Ill txt you later tomorrow. Hopefully get to meet that Botan you mentioned soon.**

With that, she reached her hands into the air, stretching her entire body out. She wasn't very tall, actually not tall at all. Kat was very short for her nature, below average. The girl's eyebrows knitted together when she remembered Kuwabara cracking a joke on how "the shrimp", was taller than her. The "shrimp" being Hiei.

It was an insult, and she couldn't help but punch the stupid orange haired boy in the shoulder. Which earned her a nice smirk from Hiei, and she hoped she left a nice bruise to boot. _Those two… I am not sure how they are even friends_ , Kat thought, before turning to go to her bed room, pausing just in front of the closed door.

A loud thump came from the inside and her whole body lit on fire, telling her to run. A quick pinch to make sure she had not fallen asleep, maybe on the walk here, just suddenly up and blacked out. Nope, she was fully awake, and the rustling was severely bothering her. She quickly pivoted, her body's fight or flight kicking in, a godsend for biological adrenaline to get it going, her heart pounding heavily in her chest.

 _Holy fuck, am I dreaming again? I can't be!_ She screamed in her head, almost halfway down the hallway before she bumped into something.

Hazel eyes widened as she looked up to whom or… what she bumped into. Her stomach almost dropped to her feet, she couldn't believe how it was even possible as long talons reached out for her. It was not possible that this monster came alive from her dream. _That was just…. Impossible!_ Kat couldn't shake the word impossible from the back of her tongue.

"Silence woman!" The beast sneered at her, and she could not believe he sounded just as if he was cut and pasted from her dream. Every nook and cranny about him resembled him in perfect condition from her dream.

Unaware that she was screaming a blood curling scream, she had turned to run the opposite direction, but halted immediately when that thump from inside her bedroom came out. It was an ordinary man, it looked like, but he had deep orange blazing eyes. His hair was unordinary for a man, but so was Kurama's. His was long, straight, and a deep jet black that trailed to his shoulder blades, and layered upwards to frame his long frame of a face. He was in a business suit, and Kat froze there unable to process what was going on.

Her heart slumped in the back of her throat already raw from screaming as she did. Despite how brief, it was sure as hell loud.

"What the hell do you want from me?" She whispered hoarsely, her feet planting into the floor. Her mind was searching for some kind of ground, some kind of logic. _Piss me off_ , she begged, Kat couldn't think with the very rational and expected fear trembling through her. She was ashamed at her legs shaking, and her hands couldn't stop twitching. _Pull it together! Do something Kat!_

"Oh darling, you have no idea, do you? Baku, I thought you informed her the other night what are intentions are."

The man had to be close to 7 feet tall, he loomed over Katsumi as he approached her, the girl eyeing her surroundings carefully. _Damnit, I should have fucking unpacked,_ she berated herself mentally.

Eyebrows scrounged up, listening to the two talk. They were both obviously enjoying this. As if the arrogant smirk didn't give it away. She could tell from the cocky aura surrounding their entire demeanor that they had their to-do lists checked and marked twice.

"No, Onmyoji, she had woken herself up beforehand… I think I scared her more than I meant to..." He laughed like a goddamn baboon, she noted. Finally, her fists clenched up. _So they want to eat me huh? Not today._ The dams have crashed down and anger flooded her body like a rushing tidal wave.

A quick pivot and her elbow bended quickly before surging upwards to hit the monster from her dream and straight to its horrendous face.

It scowled, losing its balance and using the wall to break its fall. She was surprised she hit, and even more surprised by the power she inflicted. Her hand throbbed, but it didn't take her complete attention off for her escape route.

It set him back a bit enough for her to rush passed him, and she could hear the businessman named Onmyoji screech and Mittens yowling in return. Tears lined up at her eyes but she pushed forward, her baby giving her a chance to make it out, heading into the first room on the left and locking the door behind her. _Who would she call? The police? Why Kami, why?! No, you will not cry,_ Kat screamed at herself, trying to think quickly as she glanced around the dim lit room. There was a window, and she immediately ran to it, unlocked it, and began to lift it. There was banging at the door, and she was cursing up a storm.

"Fucking open you piece of shit window!" She yelled, trying to yank it up. It would not budge, and she mentally noted that if she did make it out of this alive, to get another apartment that actually has windows that open. Whipping around at the sound of the splinters breaking through the door as it caved under its strength, she lifted her fists up and took a fighting stance she only ever saw Yusuke. Because of him, she never got in a lot of fights, but saw him fighting often. _Yusuke, if only you were here when I needed you_ , she whimpered to herself softly.

Katsumi's heart dropped, when she thought the door would finally break open, forcing her eyes not to shut tight, there was a complete stillness in the entire apartment. She was prepared to take them on, but they never entered the room.

Every hair on her body stuck up, and chills raked up her body like a bad rash, she found the nerve to slowly walk forward to the door. First, she pressed her ear against it, but nothing. Nervously, her hand reached to the doorknob after unlocking it and turned slowly, now seeing blood slick underneath the doorway towards her feet.

Preparing for an ambush, she kept ready at the wait as the door slung open.

A scream was suppressed at what her eyes widened to see. At her feet was a pool of blood. She was no stranger to blood, but seeing that… thing… the monster, it was shred to pieces in quick clean slices, she observed. She took a step forward, wary of the blood, and turned her head to the direction of her bedroom. What she presumed to be a man, was in a black cloak, and he had a katana in his hand, soon sheathing it.

Her eyebrow raised, her eyes focusing on the face as the shadows almost kept him completely concealed. From her gut feeling, he was letting her see him. Crimson eyes were the first she noticed before the face came into view, he stepped forward towards her. Her first initial reaction was to pull the door back shut and break the goddamn window. He was not tall for a male, but he was taller than her… and that's when it clicked and she slightly relaxed. Sort of.

"H-Hiei?" She confirmed by his resilient silence to her question and realized that the man in the business suit was nowhere in sight as she glanced along the floor of the hallway, and her eyes widened in fear when they met his crimson orbs.


	3. Chapter 3: Healing Intermission

I know, a lot of you are going to be angry with me. I won't be posting a chapter tonight unless my hands start feeling better. It literally pains me to type this, the joints in my hands are very sore and swollen. I did take some prescription strength ibuprofen with some magnesium (good for the joints), but Chapter 3 is going to have to be posted sometime tomorrow morning or Saturday night due to having projects for my online classes and deadlines to meet

In the meantime, maybe some of you would be happy to give me a review? Xoxo thoughts or ideas, or even some critiques would be very helpful. If I am not writing a character accurately or anything like that… I am injured afterall and it hurts just to type this… Not that I am trying to GUILT you or anything… . *Coughs loudly*

But do not fear, I much intend for Chapter 3 to be even longer than Chapter 2 with much more progress in the storyline.

I adore you all, thank you for taking the time to read my fanfic. It makes my heart soar seeing the views on it.

Love xoxo,

Holding Onto Faith


	4. Chapter 4: Calling All Angels

A/N: I decided to spoil you all with two chapters in one. Sorry for the short downtime, I've been on a role and with the pain in my hands it has slowed me up quite a bit! Hope you enjoy. PLEASE REVIEW, I'm begging. I want some feedback, and tell me what you guys think so far. The silence is killing me, ya'll. But at the very least, thank you so much for reading.

Xoxo Holding Onto Faith

Chapter 3: Healing Intermission

The sun was shining softly through the window, gently caressing the sleeping girl's face. Birds flirted in the distance with their sweet chirps of delight, and the sound of whispered voices could be heard in between the sounds. A small wrinkled formed upon Kat's forehead before her eyes flittered upon framed by long black lashes. Her head ached slightly, and she realized she sat up too fast. Her hands delicately surveyed around her head, discovering a bandage.

"Where the hell…?" She whispered to herself before looking around. It was an empty room aside from the bed she lay on and night stand. The floor was wooden, and the walls were a pure white. The light from outside drawing into every corner of the room with ease. This certainly was not her room, and this was certainly not her apartment.

A soft mew whimpered to her, and she turned to look at her orange cat who slept at the end of the bed. Flashes from last night shot through her, and she gasped, looking at Mittens who also had a bandage on her.

Last thing she remembered was losing her balance and falling to the floor. The hot, sticky blood flesh against her. Her head throbbed, she hit it pretty hard against the floor, and she rememebered those crimson eyes staring at her apathetically before muttering something. _What was it?!_ Katsumi thought to herself, her brain feeling very foggy.

 _"_ _Stupid Onna." Slowly walking to her between the fillets of body parts, he leaned down to take a full examination of her. Katsumi groaned as she was lifted effortlessly before fading back into the dark._

Hiei had saved her, she recalled, slowly. Fogginess, fatigue, headache… she assessed her symptoms with the obvious. She had a slight concussion, and if anyone was smart, they would have monitored her and not allowed her to sleep. As if on cue from her thoughts, the window to her left opened, and the man who saved her last night casually entered.

"You were observed, baka onna." Kat's eyes narrowed together, causing a piercing pain through her head. The annoyance almost drained from her completely when she saw what displayed before her. Hiei's eyes were wide and he was frozen still as Mittens had sat up from the bed to rub against the side of his leg lovingly.

Obviously the cat was indifferent to the negative vibes Hiei sent off. It suddenly dawned at her, she tucked her hair behind her ears before glaring straight into those crimson orbs. He seemed to recollect himself from Mitten's display of affection rather quickly before returning to his normal façade.

"How the hell did you know what I was thinking?"

"Hn, your scrutinized look gave it away." Hiei replied easily. It wasn't hard to lie for him, except, it wasn't necessarily a lie. He just did not give her the answer she wanted, and he was fine with that. He did not take answers from humans, they were pathetic by nature, and frankly did not care if the onna believed him or not. Kat huffed intensively, still not satisfied, obviously, and continued to glare at him.

Hiei bore down into her eyes with a look of boredom, which infuriated her even worse.

"You can either lay here and be a pissy baka onna, or follow me and receive some answers." With that, he left the room, sliding the door shut behind him with a firm grasp.

"How the hell do you like him, Mittens? You are supposed to be on my side…" she whispered, a gentle pet given to the cat who returned to her for affection. He mewed weakly as if to answer her, and she shook her head. Hiei was right, she did have a lot of answers.

Turning, she pulled her legs to the side of the bed and pulled back the blankets. She was adorned in her undergarments with a wife beater and sweat pants. Very familiar clothing, she might add, and she noticed it had Yusuke's normal scent on it. Why the hell was she in Yusuke's clothes? AS if on cue, she glanced down and saw her clothes she was just the other day. They were covered in blood, and she twitched slightly.

Grabbing the hair tie off from her wrist, she pulled her now wavy black hair in a ponytail, feeling the dry blood that still lingered in her hair…

Katsumi made her way out of the room, Mittens trailing behind her as she slid the door shut. She heard voices, and she walked slowly down the hallway towards the sound, her hand trailing along the hallway wall to keep her balance. She still wasn't all there, and she knew that was a normal thing. Mittens kept by her feet as if he had intended to try and be her cushion if she were to fall again.

"Hey Kitty Kat!" Yusuke roared with his boyish grin, sitting in a kitchen and big plate of food in front of him. Kuwabara, Yukina, Kurama, a short older woman, and Hiei were the only other ones in the room. The black haired boy frowned with worry as she didn't even try to pummel him for the nickname call.

"Urameshi, don't go try getting her all riled up," Kuwabara chastised with a frown, receiving a nodding approval from Yukina.

"Hn. For once the oaf is right."

"Why you little-" Kuwabara huffed before getting interrupted.

"What happened last night?" Impatience filled her, pulling out a chair to sit beside Yusuke. She looked at the older women with faded pink hair who looked at her inquisitively, but did not say a word.

"Well, uh, according to Hiei, you were attacked," Yusuke began, facing her with a half-smile. "But there is something you need to know, because I am afraid you are now a part of it."

"A part of what? Has this anything to do with the secret you and Keiko lie to cover up?" Yusuke and Kuwabara both tensed, and she was even bothered Kuwabara was in on the subject before her. A sense of betrayal flooded through her, even though she recognized it as irrational.

"Yes," Yusuke nodded, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Kat winced lightly, but didn't bother shrugging his hand off like she wanted. Her hands folded together on the table, breathing softly as she listened. She shut her eyes closed to process, and the ice maiden looked to her partner with a slight worry.

"Katsumi," Kurama piped in, his emerald eyes holding a deep concerned serious to them, she could feel them now on her. "We do not know who attacked you, but I am sure you know they both were not human." He waited for her to acknowledge what he was saying, and she gave a nod to confirm.

"Their names were Baku and Onmyoji," Kat informed, peering up to look at the redhead, who was surprised she recalled so easily. It was a traumatic event for most humans. "And no, they did not feel human." Kurama caught the word, he was expecting for her to say "they did not **look** human" but rather she said it with a feeling. Maybe, he thought, she had some spirit awareness like Shizuru. Not completely developed, like Kuwabara's, but raw and potential.

He shoved that thought away for later.

"Because they weren't, Kat," Yusuke informed, everyone surveying her to see how she would process this. Goosebumps crawled down her arms and up her spine.

"Then…?"

"Demons," Hiei contributed, staring firmly at her face without breaking contact. Kat slowly looked up into his gaze, knowing he was telling the truth. Yusuke or Kuwabara could have been fucking with her, to make light of a bad event, but she knew with their friend there was no bullshitting.

"Well, why did one look like a monster, and the other look… almost human?"

"Hiei, Yukina, and I are demons. Yusuke is also of demon descent and is Lord of Tourin. Each demon, depending on their ancestors reflect what kind of demon we are. Some demons can appear human, but have a demon appearance they can switch to." _Wait, Yusuke? A LORD?_ Katsumi couldn't hide the laughter from her face, and Yusuke's dismayed look confirmed that he knew what she was thinking.

"So… you guys are demons? So do you do what those demons do?" Anger flared her slightly, wondering if this was common place.

"No onna, not all demons are that pathetic to pray on a weak ningen such as yourself. Those were low class demons." _I am not weak, asshole_ , Kat mentally screamed at him. His returned scowl caused her to jump back in her skin. _The hell?_

"Even Onmyoji?" She whispered, and he nodded at her. She believed him right off the bat, and that was a hard thing for her to feel with someone she only met twice.

"You see, there's a demon world, a spirit world, and our world," Kurama answered for her what he assumed she was going to answer next. "Over the last few years the barrier between demon world and our world has been put down, and Hiei… part of his job is border patrol. He returns stray humans from demon world, and makes sure demons from the Makai do not cause harm or trouble to the humans."

"We can get into the details of how the worlds work another time," the older women noted, a cup of hot tea in her hands. She placed the cup in front of Kat, and the girl looked up at the woman with a genuine thankful smile. Her hands embraced the warm cup before taking a few sips. Green tea, she observed, with some honey. It was indeed soothing.

"That is Master Genkai, and this is her temple and land we are staying at. It's one of the safest places you can be," Yukina smiled at her. "Which is why we brought you here," Kuwabara added in, and Hiei scowled lightly. She took notice how he was uncomfortable around the two of them being affectionate. Maybe Hiei had a crush on Yukina, and he didn't like that he got second place to a human? Kat wondered mentally, receiving another incredulous look from Hiei. Katsumi nodded a low respect towards Genkai. They were roughly the same height when Kat stood, as well as Yukina, and she could tell that even though she was short of words, she was wise beyond her years.

"Is it normal for demons to get out of hand with humans?" Kat asked, turning back to the redhead. She leaned to take another sip of tea before resting the mug on the table steadily. Her headache seemed to be melting away with each sip. She internally reminded herself she needed to thank Genkai in some way. Not only for the hot tea, but for letting her stay at temple.

"That is a very good question," Kurama admitted before looking to Hiei. After all, they didn't inform her was specifically the officer in command over the Border Patrol between the worlds. Mukuro had officially assigned him the title as of last year, and also informing only him that she intended for him to be her successor since she had no kin to pass the reigns of Alaric to. Hiei was the person she trusted the most, and who she would find would make a great ruler one day.

"Hn. Not usually a problem. We usually have more idiot humans wandering into Makai than the other way around." What was his deal with me… with us?

That made the girl feel more frustrated, and her shoulders slumped feeling with a burden which was out of her control. She did not like being out of control, in fact, she was used to always being in control. It's what made her such a great nurse, and maybe one day a great doctor.

"However, even when a human does get attacked from a demon, usually we will distort their memories of the demon and send them to the ningen hospital."

That did make sense for Katsumi, because there were many times people would come in with animal attacks, or getting injured and not being able to recall what happened. Though, she didn't work in the trauma department in the hospital, she would have to ask the other nurses for any gossip. A slight clearing of her throat before taking another sip.

"Why didn't you do that with me?"

"You are closely tied in with the former Rekai Tantei," Genkai replied before continuing. "Normally the demons who attack humans are below low level demons with no existing IQ. They do not invade the subconscious of a human before attacking. They are unintelligent and purely animalistic creatures. These however, were not, and clearly have a motive for messing with you."

"These are the former Spirit Detectives for Spirit World. They have fought many almost world ending evils, and for that they have a lot of enemies."

Katsumi looked at each and every one of their faces. It was insane to thing they have saved the world many times over, but she knew to trust her gut. It explained how Yusuke and Kuwabara have grown up so quickly. She always pegged them for being idiots until they got married and had kids of their own, but it was evident these events have and has shaped them for the rest of their lives.

"Well, Baku I know for sure is dead thanks to Hiei," she said, her eyes flaring up at him with thankfulness she didn't know how to return. Hiei's crimsons eyes widened slightly before he looked away. The feeling the ningen onna passed onto him with one look rocked him for some reason, but he shrugged it off. For him, this was the same shit, different day. Except they were dealing with a ningen idiot who happened to be Yusuke's kin.

"Onmyoji ran while I dealt with the idiot." This time, not referring to Kat. "My men are searching for him as we speak, so we can capture him and question him."

"YUSUKE URAMESHI!" Kat felt the man next to her return to a boy in a matter of seconds, his whole body stiffened as Keiko's angry voice rang throughout the temple. Kat snickered lightly, Kuwabara joining her with a wide grin. Even Hiei cracked a smirk, watching the Lord of Tourin melting in his seat at just a ningen onna.

"Why the HELL did you not inform me about Katsumi?" She raged, her hands on her hips as she found them all in the kitchen. A small relief flooded her face as she saw her cousin in one piece. Despite the bandage around her head.

"The dimwit can only process one thing at a time," Genkai retorted before leaving the room.

"SHUDDUP GRAMMA," he yelled angrily at her departure before turning to Keiko.

"You also missed our date this morning!" Her temper was snapping. Yusuke raised from his seat and pulled one of her hands into his. Her other hand immediately raised and slapped him firmly across the cheek, sending him back.

"Are you sure he's the Lord of Tourin?" Katsumi asked, her head turning to Kurama and Yukina. They both chuckled with a nod, and she shook her head in disbelief before balling out in laughter.

"Completely WHIPPED." Kat hugged her sides, trying not to fall off her seat. Yusuke growled at her, wiping at the red handprint on his cheek. The brunette huffed at her fiancé before taking the empty seat next to Kat. She instantly pulled the laughing girl into a tight hug, tears stinging at her eyes. Kat immediately lost all humor in the situation before hugging her cousin back.

"You could have been killed," she mumbled, clenching at her cousin tighter.

"I know, but I am right here. I did not plan to get attacked," she joked lightly, patting Keiko on the back.

"We should have walked you home."

"There was nothing you could have done… They were inside the apartment."

"Yusuke probably could have sensed them before sending you on your way." Keiko objected stubbornly, pulling back to stare her brown eyes into her cousin's hazel eyes.

"Yeah, well we can't rewind time. I think this means all of us need to be a little bit more cautious?" Kat tilted her head to Kurama, who nodded in turn.

"What are we going to do?"

Chapter 4: Calling All Angels

A plan was put into motion on how they were going to get to the bottom of this. Kurama returned to the Makai, more specifically, to his dear friend Yomi in Gandara. Yusuke instructed Hokushin to search for information on any demon activity as well and to report to him immediately. Things were quiet, and the group stayed at Genkai's for the time being. The former Rekai Tantei informed Botan, who then carried the message to Koenma. Surely, they were all going to find information one way or another.

It was agreed Kat would be escorted to work by Hiei, and Keiko obviously by Yusuke, Kuwabara with Shizuru, and Yukina with Genkai (and Hiei with the use of his Jagan). Kurama made arrangements so he could watch on his family as well. They did not know the extent of the threat, but they all have been through this enough to know the majority of risks, and they were covering all the bases they could think of. Katsumi nor Hiei were happy about this arrangement, especially after he insisted Kat was weak and an idiot. Hiei did not favor this either because of the obvious. His disposition over her human life, and how he loathed her existence in general, Kat thought. But then, she thought, he saved her life without a second thought. He didn't have to intervene, despite being the overseeing commander of Makai's border patrol.

"Yusuke," Kat pulled the boy aside as they were loading the last of her boxes into the moving vehicle. She had found a house for rent not too far from the Yukimura diner. "Are you sure Hiei is going to… help me defend myself against any threats? He seems to hate my existence and my kind altogether." She whispered, unaware that the fire apparition could hear her. He scoffed inwardly with a light roll of his eyes. Yusuke laughed hesitantly, aware that Hiei and Kurama could both hear very clearly as they put the boxes perfectly snugged into the vehicle.

"Kat, he may not like humans or even you, but he will not fail a mission. That is beneath him, and so is doing a job half assed." He gave her a light pat on the back before pulling the string to close the back of the moving vehicle as Kurama and Hiei jumped out. Kuwabara sat in the driver's seat and Yusuke gave the signal to head off.

"Isn't it so easy to move when you haven't even unpacked." He cackled at her, giving Kat a nudge. She rolled her eyes at him, dusting off her denim shorts. It was a hot day, and her body glistened with sweat. Hell they were all sweaty. The boys did the majority of moving the backs from the apartment… Kat had refused to go up there, and insisted on just helping put the boxes into the vehicle.

The fact that Onmyoji was out there, and his eyes taunted her in her sleep. She bit her lip lightly in thought before being aware that Hiei was watching her intently. He had a knack for knowing what she was thinking, and she hated it. She couldn't exactly place her thumb on it. Embarrassed, she quickly attempted to dismiss the redness that brightened her skin.

"I would've eventually gotten around to it if it weren't for my damn near life threat," she retorted. They climbed into Kurama's vehicle he had parked beside the curb of the apartment complex. Katsumi stood there, taking a deep breath before heading to the apartment to drop off her keys. She returned rather hastily, her breath a little uneven and hopping into the vehicle in the back.

"Uh, where's Hiei?" It was just the three of them as Kurama pulled off towards her new house.

"He "refuse to enter a damned ningen contraptions". His words, not mine," Yusuke laughed, Kurama chuckling, his attention on driving. Kat laughed, thinking of the movie Enchanted with Patrick Dempsey. When the Prince came to this strange land, Kat thought and smiled from ear to ear. The thought pushed away her uneasiness.

When they arrived at the house, she could see a blue haired girl who she assumed as Botan, Shizuru, Keiko, and Yukina at the front. Kat wondered what they were doing here as they rolled up into the driveway. Yukina was holding Mittens close to her chest and loving on the creature, and Kat knew he was just absolutely spoiled rotten by these wonderful people. She got out and smiled,

"I only needed the boys to help bring in the boxes," she laughed. "But it's nice to see you guys."

"You didn't tell her Keiko?" Shizuru raised a brow, after taking a puff of her cigarette. Keiko grinned quite evilly, and Botan sweatdropped.

"Well anywhoooooo, I am Botan and I had no part of this! Except that we will do a wonderful job with helping you unpack and settle in!" The blue haired said in singsong voice before extending a hand to Kat. She laughed, the girl was full of energy, and she loved it. She kind of dreaded that they were going to be doing more work before she actually had to go work. As if Yukina was reading her mind, she replied,

"And if you get tired, we are more than willing to stay after you have to go to work." Kat warmed, Kuwabara already starting to haul the boxes in with Kurama behind him. She was going to have to host a housewarming party and give gifts or something of that nature.

These people, and she knew part of it was being almost Yusuke's kin and Keiko's cousin, were so sweet to her and have extended their friendship so very lovingly. Except for Hiei, who she mentally cast him a glance. But in a way, she was happy he didn't.

It means that he was going to decide on his own whether to be friends with her or not, friends of friends or not. He was sitting atop of the tree outside her house, one leg bent at the knee and the other sprawled out on the side of the branch, and she made a decision and stuck her tongue out at him. His eyes were closed, and she examined him closely.

He twitched lightly in response, and Kat grinned she managed to get a response at all. Until this threat was cleared up, they were going to have a lot going on between them. Maybe he would earn her trust, and same goes for him.

Kat took a deep breath before sitting back on the ground of what was the living room floor, sprawling out. The group was exhausted, it had been such a long day, and she has constantly told them all how much she appreciated their hard work and help as they hauled out.

They had left shortly, what she had was all unpacked, and she had a lot of shopping to do. Which her mother wanted to do with her platinum card, and she groaned out at the thought, but maybe she could get the girls to go with her. Work had called her, telling her that she was on call, and had the option for the night so she could have off. Some new interns have been taking a lot of the load off their workload.

It had been nice.

Hiei had finally stepped into the house glancing around, his eyes scanning. It wasn't like Kurama's abode. There wasn't much furniture, and it still didn't have the home feeling his close friend's place had. Browsing the place to get a feel of the layout, he found Kat sprawled out on the floor. He examined her, taking a leaned position against the doorway. She had on black converses he has seen the spirit detective wear before, except these were low cut.

A pair of blue jean shorts hugged her hips snuggly, and a black tank top adorned her torso; he could smell was soaked with her scent and sweat. He wouldn't deny that the scent wasn't pleasant, because it was. For a ningen, he thought, she was rather pretty and well-toned. He wondered if she trained any before his eyes fixated on her face. She had soft pink lips that were parted as she napped, her black hair falling in tendrils around her crazily considering they were partly still wet with sweat. The drool coming out of her mouth did not even make her seem less attractive.

There was one thing holding herself back, and it was the very fact she was a ningen and physically and mentally weak, he noted.

Not that he was even considering pursuing a ningen regardless, but demons react to their very primal instincts. To fight, and to mate.

"Hiei?" Kat asked, sitting up and rubbing at her eyes, and wiping the drool from the side of her face in embarrassment. Hiei snapped out of his thoughts and fixated on her eyes.

"Hn. You would have been dead if a demon were to have attacked," he chided, his voice loathed with distaste. Katsumi glared at him, before sarcastically replying.

"Good thing I have a demon posted at my residence who is just wonderful company and is so eager to protect me from any threat that could jump me." His teeth gritted.

How dare this onna talk to him this way?

"You can't rely on someone to protect you always. There will be times when I will not be there, nor will any of my comrades. You ningens live in this little bubble, but really, you are just at the bottom of the food chain. Pathetic," he spat, and Kat hated the truth behind it. Suddenly before his eyes, her aura illuminated an angry wave wash over her. He didn't have to say it that cruelly, but she guess that was the point. Charles Darwin was right, its survival of the fittest. Her whole body tense as she sat up, on her feet, stomping off towards her bedroom.

Hiei observed her as she went through this mental process at her thoughts as he turned to leave the room. He was quite shocked on how she processed this, and impressed that a simple insult could bring out some potential in her. If she were Yusuke or Kuwabara, they would have jumped to prove him wrong, but she turned to assess herself before engaging into anything unknown to her.

Katsumi acknowledged her potential weaknesses and strengths, and that was the mind of a military strategist. Hiei would deny being impressed or even slightly interested as he sat up in his tree for the night. If she had spiritual awareness like the fox suspected and what he witnessed, he thought, she could train up and possibly rise above her mortal status as a pathetic ningen of Ningenkai.

Katsumi spread her hands over the clean sheets, her sweet cousin having made the bed for her. She had just gotten out of a shower and tucked into a clean extra-large t-shirt for the night. Her thoughts from the shower to bed ran rapid. Denial would be one of the things she wouldn't do, she wouldn't deny she was worried to go to bed. That she wasn't worried about being a prey for the rest of her life.

How exactly could she rise above from being an ant in the ant line? The metaphor making sense to her the more she thought about it. Lifting the covers, she sunk into the bed and buried herself into a safe haven.

Katsumi gave her a pager a glance before setting it beside her to finally drift off into a sleep.

"Katsumi Chiyono Yukimura!" Mrs. Yukimura had entered the household, a clean business suit adorned on her bodice. Her black hair was pulled back into a sophisticated bun, her fringe framing her china doll face to perfection. Kat could hear the 3inch black pumps which tapped along the hardwood floor to her room, and she groaned softly while pulling the pillow over her head.

The door flung open with ease, and there stood her mother. She took after her mother in height, but the way her mother held herself, she was deemed as a tall lady. Her face was pure business; it was sharp and to the point. In her green eyes, there was no bullshit or playing around. In fact, her mother could be quite ruthless if and when need be. Which gave her an edge in the business world, and with her father at her side, they paired evenly. Her father was tall with dark hair and brown eyes. He was broad shouldered, and very intelligent.

Kurama reminded her of her father at times, with a studious face. But he was as ruthless as her mother, but he often let her be the first line of offense. He reared, being the stronger defense if need be.

"DEMON!" She hissed out, hearing her mother tap her foot impatiently. "Demon be gone!" Not thinking twice about the choice of words, her mother rolling her eyes at her daughter's dramatic cries. With just that, Hiei had come into the room, his katana unsheathed and ready to attack.

"Not only did you not tell me you had moved again, you did not inform me you were living with a man," Mrs. Yukimura eyed Hiei over with a cold stare that matched his own. Hiei was slightly taken aback by this woman's boldness. It matched even Master Genkai's cold and wise demeanor. He grunted lightly, annoyed by the cry wolf.

"This place is bare, it is definitely not suitable for living. Are you in trouble?" She did not miss a beat, as Hiei sheathed his katana and took steps to exit the household in silence. The door shut behind him and Mrs. Yukimura shifted her weight to one side as she waited for Katsumi to respond, who still remained beneath the pillow.

"Mom… I just moved yesterday. I promise I planned to call today to mention getting this place filled with love and homeliness."

"Your father would not be pleased to know you only had a bed with no food in the kitchen," she sighed. "And to know you are living with a boy who you are not married to." Though her Mom reflected the modern way, there were core traditional values she did not let go of.

Especially when they applied to her daughter.

"He's not living here. He visits from time to time, and he's uh…" Katsumi couldn't think with the morning fogginess. "He's uh... training me. I wanted to learn self-defense. He's also a close friend of Yusuke, so I vouch for him." The older woman's lip pursed, but she did not push. Instead she messed with her bangs, clearing them from her eyes. She was very good at detecting lies, but she let it slide. Her daughter was safe, and that is what mattered.

"Well, get up and get dressed, Chiyono," she said more lovingly, using her middle name in endearment. "We are going shopping."

Katsumi gave an inaudible nod, and Mrs. Yukimura left the room to give her daughter some privacy. Just as she was about to lift the hem of her t-shirt up, Hiei was at the window, and her heart just about came out of her chest. Redness flooded her cheeks as she went to the window and opening.

"Goddamn, you scared the living fuck out of me. You-"

"Next time," he growled at her, his crimson eyes flaring as he interrupted her rant rudely. "Do not cry wolf, or you are going to learn your lesson sooner than you think."

Katsumi laughed nervously, scratching the back of her head. It was too damn early for all this bullshit.

"It wasn't a cry wolf, it was just a natural response. Mom used to-"

"I do not care about your story, onna." He replied harshly, just as a smirk formed at the edge of his lips, he said, "Since you told that woman you were being trained by me, I am going to train you. You will regret every second of ever crying wolf." She tensed. _What the fuck?_

Before she got a chance to yell or berate him, he jumped from the window and back into the tree effortlessly.

 _Goddammit, I was just improvising!_ Because of the damn katana being drawn with her mother being there…. Then it dawned on her.

"Hiei… is going to train… me?"

A/N: Some ideas were inspired by other fanfictions I have read recently, and awhile back. Their names are: myself the dreamer, Time on my hands, and Graphospasm. Check them out, they have some awesome fics. In advance, thank you for inspiring me to write my own fanfic. Truly.

Thank you for reading, and please review!


	5. Chapter 5: A Better Place, A Better Time

"Are you sure SHE isn't a demon?" Botan whispered hastily, eyes squinting at Mrs. Yukimura, to Shizuru and Yukina as they followed behind the three Yukimura women. They were all headed into the entrance of a large department store. The blue haired girl's eyes looked uncomfortable as she speculated at Mrs. Yukimura, and she never met a woman so cold and bold before, despite Kat's implications that her mother just needed to get to know them first before she eventually warmed up.

Or didn't, depending if she felt you were unworthy to trust. It made her seem like her harsh calculations of people were to imply she was a demon, and Keiko just said that was how she was. And why their business was at the top in Japan. That in fact, her aunt was quite the lovable woman towards her true friends and family.

The girls flooded into the department store that was loaded with various home decorations and furniture. The six of them made a trip deep into the city just to find this place, one that would have a lot of things in variety colors and assortment. Mrs. Yukimura clapped her hands together before turning around to face the girls once they all stood in front of the registers. It was as if almost they took a fieldtrip and had an assignment to complete, and their field trip was to obtain information to complete the assignment. Kat raised a brow at her mother's determined look, a light sparkling her green eyes.

"This is how we are going to tackle this…" The girls tilted her head at her mother.

"Ms. Botan, Ms. Yukina, I want you two to take care of any of the bathroom necessities. From décor to toothpaste canisters; there are two bathrooms, so I just suggest picking a theme for each and buy accordingly. Girls, I do not care about the prices, I am not one to stick my fortune in someone else's faces, but don't be hesitant, and if there's something you like as well, do not be shy," she gave a gentle wink, breaking her calculating visage, at them before continuing to face the unassigned girls.

"Ms. Shizuru, Keiko darling, I want you both to handle kitchen and living room. Katsumi and I will tackle both the master bedroom and guest bedroom. Now, I think we can get this done in little under an hour, and get it all set up within three… It won't be a 100% furnished, but it will have the hardground stuff that are a necessity." As if challenging herself, she told the girls to all meet up right here in an hour.

Five Hours and a phone number later… Katsumi did not even want to think of the total prices spent on her from just those hours.

"Dear Kami, she was like a drill sergeant," Kat collapsed back onto the new king size bed with the new bed spread of a deep purple and black complimenting the details on the spread. Beside the bed was a nightstand in the same dark liquor color as the bedframe. While they were out shopping, Mrs. Yukimura had repainted all the walls with a fine primer to get rid of the dull yucky orange wallpaper surrounding the walls. On the very far back wall was a bay window that had a bench right beneath it to lay in, and had a large oak tree not too far off, sheer black curtains hanging to barely conceal from within. To the right of that window was a master closet, which she cringed at the notion of her mother inclining to fill it.

Across from the bed on the other wall was a door leading to the master bathroom. It held a full sized bath with Jacuzzi jets and a glass standing shower adjacent to it in the opposing corner of the bathroom. AS you walked in there was a sink with a large circular mirror to the right, and a linen closet across from it.

Yukina and Botan had picked a very green with a complimenting brown earthy theme, to her bathroom, and Kat absolutely loved it. From the wall décor to the rugs, it made her feel as if her bathroom was set outside from any civilization. It made her feel nice and relaxed.

Beside the nightstand next to the bed was the door to the room which led to the hallway. Down the hall to the, the first door on the left was the guest bedroom. Shizuru and Keiko picked a gender neutral tone for that room with warm whites and dark blues. A large queen size bed sat against the wall with both sides free, a night stand on either side, and a lamp on one of them. To the left was a closet, and to the right on the wall was a window. The wall décor and curtains is what really tied the room in. It had book shelves designed on one wall, and on the other was a large canvas painting of dark trees next to the window. It was beautiful, dark, but gentle on the eyes at the same time. Across from the guest bedroom, was the bathroom, which matched themes and colors across the board.

As you continued down the hallway, you can reach the kitchen. It had an island counter in the middle, the outer counter wrapping around the edges of the wall with the refrigerator, dishwasher, and oven mixed between. Hanging down from the ceiling above the island counter was a 4x4 hanger that secured pots and pans to hang down from. Around the counter were bar seats. To the left of the kitchen was a small dining room beside a screened in porch with a door that led to the backyard. A nice patio set with lots of chairs and a large table was stretched in one corner.

On the complete opposite end of the hallway was the large living room, and a smaller hallway that lead to the front door. The living room had a large black leather couch with two matching recliners on either end. A larger coffee table sat perfectly aligned with the leather couch. In between the recliners and couch was a side table, each having a lamp on them. In front of the couch on the opposing wall was a large screened TV with her video games and their systems set up neatly on a matching entertainment center. Beside the table was a standing lamp with a large bookcase to the right of it.

A large "Go Away" welcome mat was placed outside in front of the door, and inside a large flower pot with a plant, Kat didn't know the name to, was sitting by the door. It was a housewarming gift from Kurama, Shizuru said.

Her mom insisted on many things, one being she get rid of her twin sized bed. That it wasn't a bed for an adult. The place was completely filled, and felt warm. Except for the fact she and Mittens were the only one inside, for now. A smile framed her lips as she stared up at the ceiling, her black hair fanned around her. Now she could finally plan a housewarming party. She was thankful she was teamed up with her mother. She had time to get everyone a little gift in matching gift bags for the party while her mother marched around the department as if she owned it. She could very well buy it afterall.

Before she knew it, she was passed out on top of the covers fully dressed. It was easy for her to fall asleep anywhere, it's one of the talents that made it easier to be a nurse. She could take quick power naps and get to stepping decisively to her duties without any problem. It was effective, to say the least.

Crimson eyes stared on her form from the window as he sat on the tree branch just outside, watching her sleep peacefully between the black sheer linens before closing his own eyes. Even though they were closed, his senses were very much alive and aware of their surroundings. He had turned his energy into focusing on any possible dangers. His hands rested on the pummel of the katana before suddenly tightening and eyes snapping open at a noise which caught his ears. It was similar to an alarm, Kurama had called it, and it was beyond high pitched. It didn't seem normal for it to be that disturbingly loud.

He glanced back at the ningen as she rushed to throw on some very unflattering clothing he has seen hospital personnel wear before on that box thing with moving pictures… but the word escaped him. He wasn't shy or embarrassed, hardly thinking anything of it as she changed before he returned to closing his eyes.

Katsumi flashed between her bathroom and bedroom, trying to get her hair up fashionably and make sure she was decent looking. She took a long hard pause in front of the long oval mirror above the sink to look into her reflection. Hazel eyes squinted, not sure if she liked what she saw. She was about to turn when she gasped, orange eyes flittering in the mirror.

They were mocking her, she could tell, and annoyance betwixt with her fear. Her feet planted into the tile below, her hands clasping at the side of her dark pink scrubs, completely unable to move. The sound of her pager going off did not help her to break contact with those eyes. Fear poured into her, and she felt a tremble about to wave over her and crash down hard.

Hands grasped around her waist and shoved her through the bathroom door frame and into her bedroom. Hiei, she observed, stood there, pulling his white bandana back from his forehead… to reveal an eye? Holy crap… he looked familiar now... She could have sworn she saw him in the paper or another… some crazy person talking about alien abductions. He had planted himself between her and the bathroom, observing all around, specifically now at the mirror.

Now it made sense as to why they thought they were abducted, she thought to herself. Hiei was the three eyed alien. She still could not move on her own, but her mind seemed to focus on Hiei instead of the fear coursing through her. Even with the third eye revealed, she tilted her head, actually checking him out. He was good looking, and she already knew he was strong. Hell Kat liked that about him, liked that he did not bend to the modern thinking most people she knew felt. Considerate of others, sugarcoating the truth, lying to protect instead of telling the truth to protect. She did not like those things, she liked that he was blunt, even though Kat was hurt herself by it just the other day.

Lost in thought, she didn't even notice Hiei now standing in front of her. His red eyes bore down into her own and she blinked a couple of times. It took her quite the second to realize how close they were standing to each other, and she swore she could feel heat radiate from his body.

"Was that Onmyoji?" He breathed out unemotionally. He was detached, but he was concentrated. His arms folded on his chest as he waited impatiently for an answer. Her head tilted at him and he rolled his eyes with annoyance, ready for her to answer.

"You need to take me to work," she finally said breathed out, the words giving her some sort of control back, and turning around to the bed to grab the still beeping pager and shoving her feet into her specific nursing shoes that lay right at the edge of her bed.

She could feel the demon fuming behind her, obviously annoyed with her, but Kat did not have time to deal with this, and made a decision she wasn't going to let demons take over her life, or the life of others she was in charge to take care of. The page was about her patient, Janna, who was in the ICU because she had holes in her heart that they needed to repair before she could go home to her parents.

"I don't give a damn about your work, onna," he said in a low angry tone, his arm clasping around her elbow as she went to leave her room. Angry eyes returned to him as Kat faced him with a sharp turn, throwing her pager in his face to show him the digital screen. Her eyes were blazing just as harshly as his were.

"You see this? This is a page for someone's life I am in charge of. I do not do half assed work, you hear me?" She seethed, throwing the importance in every word. Fear could certainly light up like oil to the flame. "Your job is to keep ME safe, which I am, and my job is to make sure this infant doesn't code or die in her sleep, or her heart does not give out. Me getting this page means something is going on that I need to be there for." Katsumi yanked her arm from him, her heartbeat sounding in the back of her throat. "Demon or not, you are not going to stop me from doing my fucking job."

At that point she did not care whether or not he was her instructor or protector, or if she made an enemy just then.

Hiei stood there, his face completely emotionless. He was baffled by everything she said, and the way Kat looked at him as she said it. Her whole body demeanor changed in an instance, and he knew her… patients, were important to her above her own dilemmas. He was shocked by the ballsy boldness of this woman who got scared like any other normal dumb and weak ningen.

The fear which was once there was completely burned away from her anger. When they began their training, which he did intend to do as he threatened, he was going to use this to his advantage. And this would be the last time that onna spoke to him that way, Urameshi's family or not.

A/N: I know, it's been a little over a week since I last posted, and I AM SORRY. Writer's block has slowed me up a bit, so please, reviews will help my muse get her shit together. Critique, and all that jazz. Midterms have had me crazy, I am taking two online classes and one is just digging nails into my side. I constantly doubt my writing skills because I want to be the very best... like no one ever was!

Again, please review. I hope to have the next chapter up soon…

X0x0 Holding Onto Faith


	6. Chapter 6: Breakeven

A/N: A quick thanks to **Myara** for the awesome reviews. Reviews are like a godsend, and encourages the creativity and muse in me so I can continue writing. This is the farthest I have ever taken a Fanfic, and you guys are totally helping the process. Let me know your thoughts, throw out ideas, anything. Give me one hell of a critique where I need to improve. As always, thank you for reading. -x0x0 Holding Onto Faith

It was late at night, the darkest hour just before the sun would peak to announce morning was near. Hiei stood with his back against the wall, his eyes closed to the world, but obviously did not give away the fact his vision was above par. They were in a room the ningen onna called the NICU.

Somehow Katsumi was able to convince her peers and leaders on duty Hiei was a part of her parents' organization to escort her from place to place. For security purposes. It was partly true. Since her parents donated to the hospital, and the fact that it was a legit reason, Hiei got to follow her around as she did her duties.

He did not want to understand the complicated ningen mechanics that he was surrounded by. Somehow, Katsumi was able to get him into a pair of black scrubs one of the male attendings was willing to let her borrow for him. Something about him owing her a favor. Obviously, it was more than that by the subtle looks and peeks of interest in his body language. Only way he was going to wear the hideous ningen material was if it was black, and Kat supplied just those.

When Hiei had observed the scene and how the ningen fawned over Katsumi, he shook his head at just how oblivious she was to it. That, or she didn't acknowledge it. He made note of how professional in fact she was with her relationships amongst her peers. It was more firm, and cold compared to how she interacted with Urameshi and the others.

At the moment, Katsumi was standing over a clear box with tubes going in and out of it. She had a stethoscope out and placed inside one of the holes in the box, listening tightly to the little one's heart beats. An infant lay inside, a rather smaller and delicate infant than he has ever seen, and with a small smile, Kat waved him over. Her anger from earlier in the night diminished, replaced by a warmed aura. He couldn't deny that the things she did weren't interesting, but a lot of them required a level of care he just didn't have, and would never want. Caring was a sign of weakness, he believed to the extreme.

"Do you know what NICU stands for?" She asked, setting the stethoscope back around her neck. Her hands were on her hips, her neck circling to crack it. It had been one hell of a night. While he peered at Janna, she had taken the time to notice their height difference, and was slightly alarmed as a tingle ran down her spine. Gulping lightly with embarrassment, she continued, her lips pursed as she gazed with him at the infant.

"It stands for Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. These are where the infants go when they are not strong enough to go home to their parents."

"They would not have lasted this long in Makai, even if demon, if they were born like this," Hiei commented, stepping closer to the box, and his eyes narrowed together, obviously thinking about something else, and quite hard at that. "I have never seen an infant this small or… unhealthy. Even for a human." Katsumi couldn't hide her surprise. Usually he kept his words little to very few. She pushed back away the offended feelings she got sometimes when he spoke or belittled her kind.

"No, they would have not. I guess in a way, with our technology, it makes us more progressive than the Makai," she countered slightly, eyes not removing from the sleeping babe.

"There's truth to that," he admitted, before stating coldly as his eyes turned to her. "But unlike humans, demons don't give birth to unhealthy infants. We are not prone to diseases and ills of humankind. Which is one of the many reasons demons are the superior race." She shivered slightly, pulling at the long sleeve shirt underneath her scrub top to cover her icy hands.

"I suppose you are right. Humans are undeniably inferior to demons even with our advances to give us a better chance for survival." Katsumi ended with a quip, turning on her feet to leave the NICU with Hiei following suit behind her. She was heading to her small office, it was time to head home so she didn't max out on hours. Standing in front of her desk, shuffling through some folders, the night was finally wearing on her mind. Usually, it was her body that always gave up to tiredness before her mind. He could sense the tense muscles in her shoulders.

"Don't be an idiot. You misunderstand me." He spoke up, hands settling into the pockets of the scrubs with nonchalance, and Kat turned around to him with some files in her arm and an eyebrow raised at him. "Demons reproduce differently than humans."

"You mean, even sex is different?" Kat tried to hold back her humor, and he shot her a look of annoyance. She laughed lowly, and nervously.

"Hn, baka onna. That is all of the same concept, not that you would know anything of that," he smirked, watching her cheeks flare up and anger with embarrassment flood inside her.

"The demon mate of the pregnant demon is in charge of feeding his Ki to the child. So they will be strong, and to let the infant know who is in command." Kat absorbed the information, trying to dismiss Hiei's earlier comment.

She was amazed at herself for getting him to talk to her. With her free hand, she looped her purse over her shoulder and picked up his folded clothes from the chair against the wall, handing them to him.

"What if a demon mates with a human? Is it the same?" The question caught him off guard at her curiosity, accepting the clothes, he followed her out as she locked her office. It wasn't taboo, Yusuke's ancestor Raizen had mated with a human.

"It rarely happens, for obvious reasons," asserting his distaste before continuing. "But then it is even more crucial for the provider to give his Ki." Kat wasn't really sure what he meant by Ki, she was unfamiliar with the term, but she asked another question anyways.

"And if the other way around?" They walked down the flight of winding stairs and out the nearest exit of the hospital wing to the parking lot. Greeted with the cool air of the night, Katsumi brought her arms tight around her, clutching the folders to her chest.

The night sky was clear of clouds, and the moon shined bright down on them and everything it touched. It was serenity in the way it blanketed the sleeping world. Well, mostly sleeping world. She didn't expect Hiei to be a gentleman and extend any sort of jacket or anything, and there have been colder mornings, Kat could definitely bare the cold.

He walked in stride beside her, instead of behind her. It was a conscious awkward urge not to brush her arm against his by accident. In those moments, you become painfully aware of every little inch of movement your body made.

"I have never heard of a female demon mating with a ningen. In Makai, it is about mating the more powerful male demon."

Katsumi rolled her eyes at the classic male/female role. She tried not to blush at the thought of having a conversation with Hiei about pregnancy and intercourse, and she was slightly flattered he was carrying a conversation with her as quiet as he usually was. She wasn't even sure how he knew she had little to no experience in the bedroom.

Who had time for that? Not this one, not with how hard she genuinely worked, except for lately.

Hell, she even got a number while she was shopping with her mother and the girls at the department store.

"You need to talk about what happened, onna." Hiei commanded suddenly. Her small body tensed and she averted her gaze to him in silence. His crimson eyes seemed to reason the importance in this.

"You always seem to know what's going through my head, so why don't you pick it out," she grumbled tiredly to herself, unaware that Hiei heard her agitation as clear as day. He held back an amused smirk. They were now finally on the block her house rested on as they walked along the sidewalk.

"Onmyoji's eyes have been haunting my dreams. That was the first time he was haunting me outside of them."

There was a long pause as they grew closer to her house.

"Not that there's any say in the matter, but you are going to have to quit going to the hospital."

That same anger flooded through her as it did before she headed into her work shift, and she stopped in her tracks. He stopped with her and turned to face her anger which she didn't hesitate to turn his way.

"How dare you, after everything…" she seethed through gritted teeth.

"Since you cannot get your idiot mind around anything other than your pathetic job in ningenkai," and he even regretted calling it pathetic, because it held his interest a bit himself as he observed her work. He felt it even more as she flamed up beside him, but he stood unwavered.

Another wave of cold air whipped between them. "Let me dumb it down and simplify it for you, onna. Get your head out of your ass and listen closely," he added, seeing she was just about to attempt to interrupt him.

"That demon can track you. He can come at you when you least expect it. He is able to keep tabs on you at will. Until information comes from the Makai or Spirit World, killing an infant is not beneath a demon. This new information changes the circumstances."

"There are other ningens who can do this work that you do," he added. Expecting backlash from the insult, his eyebrow raised at the woman.

Hiei could smell the salt from the tears that threatened to break, and he watched as she blinked them away with ease. He became very annoyed at Katsumi, just wanting to deal with her as he would his subordinates. Averting her gaze, her fire of anger melting and withering away. The weight of reality sunk in, and she could not deny that she had not thought of it. She had not thought of the potential harm to the things in her workplace with Hiei watching out for her.

"So what am I going to do, huh?"

* * *

It had been three weeks since everyone was rounded up to form a camp site at Genkai's. Some of them had to double up on bedrooms, but Kat was sure to bring her video games, TV, and consoles for her, Yusuke, and Kuwabara to keep them entertained. Most of them packed a good sized gym bag of clothes and bathroom pleasantries, and planned when one needed to head back into the city, they would go in a group and make stops together to everyone's residence.

Keiko was able to take a leave of absence, Katsumi decided with thoughtful decision to put in a two weeks notice. As far as they knew, she was the only one who was being taunted and had been attacked, and until this situation was under wraps, she could not put anyone else at risk. A long conversation with her boss later, and they both agreed that when she could, she would return. Shizuru had the free time to stay at Genkai's anyways, and had finally sought out to train her spiritual awareness as her baby bro had. So this was just another means to stay at the temple longer.

"URAMESHI, BRING IT ON." Kuwabra roared at the back of the temple outside as Yusuke chuckled like a mad man, stealing the carrot top's dessert Yukina had made. The boy ran for it, while stuffing his face with the delicious lemon cake while Kuwabara chased after him. Once he could finally get ahold of Yusuke, they folded into a brawl far off into a field.

"Those two will never grow up," Shizuru laughed softly, shaking her head. "You would figure after all they have been through they would have grown up a bit."

"I think they have. At least, I noticed some sense of some growing up since I was last here," Kat mused, Keiko laughed with Shizuru, looking to the two woman with a smile. Yukina nodded softly in agreement with Katsumi, her Kazuma was not the same boy she first met. She followed the Genkai into the temple to share some tea with.

"Well if anything, Yusuke certainly misses less dates with me, but he's still the same young boy when we were back in middle school. Still a pain in the butt." Kat was thankful his fowl mouth never rubbed off on Keiko, she was always the good role model for him, and encouraged him to be the best.

It was close to sunset, and the air was surprisingly warm, the wind coming in from the south that week. Kat sat next to Keiko and Shizuru laughing, legs stretched out on the grass with hands placed behind her to hold her up. They all relaxed with what was left of the sunlight. Hiei couldn't suppress a smirk from the faded insults Yusuke and Kuwabara threw at each other, perched up on the tree and even though he looked sinister in a way, Kat gazed up with some kind of attraction. And a shiver raked down her spine.

Just then her phone buzzed and she pulled the blue cased iPhone from her pocket. It was a text from an unknown number, and she raised a brow at the message.

 **Dont b mad. Ur cousin gave me ur digits. We should get together 2night around 7pm. (;**

Katsumi raised from her leaned position, the picture of the tall darkhaired green eyed boy from the department store picturing in her mind perfectly, legs pulling into a pretzel as she turned to her cousin, phone held out to display the text.

"Explain, Keiko!" She demanded almost savagely, her face crinkled with irritation. Keiko chuckled bashfully, her hand nervously behind her head.

"I think it's time you went on a date! Plus he is REALLY cute, and totally seemed into you."

"How do you know? I was with my Mom when he approached me."

"He was indeed scrumptious," Shizuru added before Kat scowled, falling back down onto the grass to look up at the sky. Arms folded behind her head.

"Yeah, and I was not too far away from him after you turned him down," she snapped lightly before winking playfully. Kat sighed, letting her agitation flood from her.

"I just… at the time I knew I did not have the time to make it work. I still can't, even being unemployed, I would just put him in danger, and I am thinking of moving out of the house."

"Oh please, Yusuke is covering that since this is probably partly due to us. If you weren't… you would still have your job at the hospital and probably would not have ever been attacked." Kat could hear the guilt that lay in Keiko as she turned away to look at Yusuke, who had Kuwabara pinned in a headlock, giving a noogie.

"How are you two going to afford that, Keiko?!" Kat's eyes narrowed at her. She did not want her cousin to be put in any debt because of her. It was already bad enough that her Mom completely furnished her apartment with their family's wealth. Katsumi liked to pay her own way, but she learned early on that she wouldn't be able to fight her mother when she wanted to put her money down. Kat never got enough of it, her mother even had given her a company card to use as she pleased, and was frustrated that she never used it. Not once.

"Do not worry a thing about that, Kat!" Botan's cheery voice sounded from above her and Kat scrambled with a surprised yelp as did Keiko, blinking up at the woman who soared on an… Broom… thing?

"Dear Kami, don't sneak up on us like that!" Keiko sighed, hand at her chest to try and steady her heartbeat.

"My apologies! Lord Koenma will be here to-"

"I am already here Botan."

Kat sat up and could not believe her eyes. He was about two feet tall, a toddler, with a pacifier. He was the Lord Koenma of Spirit World? How in the…

A sudden poof of smoke and what appeared as was a very much older version of the toddler. Brown mossy hair, a Jr symbol on his forehead, and he was dressed in blues.

"This is very strange." Kat said, still tilting her head… now up at Koenma.

"Strange times. It seems no one in Spirit World knows quite why a demon would want to attack you. We have no leads, but Spirit World is taking care of any and all financials. We were informed by Hiei that it was best if you did not continue work, and therefore because-"

"Because of you spirit idiots, another human is in danger and you have no information you can give us," Yusuke finished, hand slicking his hair back to straighten it out after his brawl with his dearest friend. Koenma twitched at the insult before hissing,

"That is the very reason the border control is put in place. To prevent things like this."

"Yusuke, do not be so rude," Keiko chided and gave an elbow as he plopped down beside her.

"Hn. Do not blame my subordinates for your incompetence. Spirit World has as much to blame." Hiei replied coldly, and Kat caught eye contact for a moment.

"Have either of you heard from the Makai? Or from Kurama?" Koenma, ignoring the fire apparition's retort.

"Nah, Kurama ain't been around since he left to Gandara. No word from Tourin, and I am sure if Hiei had any news he wouldn't have sat around not telling us."

"Detective has a point."

"Whatever, if anything happens, I'll be here!" Kuwabara piped in, finally regaining complete control of his breath after the wrestling match. "I'll protect the lovely Yukina and the ladies from any demon punk!" Hiei twitched at the mention of Yukina, and for some reason, Kat felt a slight twitch of jealousy. Immediately, she dismissed it, taking a deep breath.

"Hn, you couldn't hurt a fly if it was captured inside your closed fist."

"WHY YOU! Shrimp, I'll take ya on here and now!" Kuwabara puffed up, his fists brought up ready to go. Crimson eyes met his with boredom.

"Keep me posted. Yusuke, you still have that compact communicator?" Koenma asked the former detective.

"Hell no, that fucking thing looks like a girly make up device that fits awkwardly in pockets. I ain't keeping that on me."

"Well, I have come prepared then." Koenma reached into his pocket and began handing them out. Katsumi gazed out off into the distance, and couldn't help to feel out of control and trapped in this situation. She did not like feeling this way. Feeling like a defenseless animal that was hiding in camouflage, it was not her nature. She always was a fighter, and pushed back. She always had her freedom and freewill.

"Use these if anything happens, or if any information comes back."

After receiving hers, Katsumi slowly slipped up from the grass and began to wander off. She needed to think. For the first time this week she wasn't feeling so depressed about not working, but Koenma bringing the situation to attention… Well, that just brought everything back.

White tennis shoes tread carefully through the floor of the forest. It was dark, but just enough to see where she was heading. The dark greens around her of the trees weren't completely faded into the growing darkness.

Katsumi wanted to get some distance from the group. Thoughts of the consequences rang through her head, how it was so stereotypical of how bad things happen, but she just could not take it. Sharing a room with Keiko and being surrounded by all of them for the last three weeks had been nice… but now she needed some privacy outside of the bathroom.

Finally she stopped, finding a creek cutting across the ground in front of her. Large rocks were scattered in between the coursing water. Above, the trees were cut open in that part to let some light in.

"What are you doing onna?" Startled, eyes scanned everywhere for Hiei, but she could not see at all.

"Hn, if I had been another demon, you would have been dead… again."

Hearing a very small thump behind her, she pivoted to peer into those familiar crimson eyes. Hiei had expected some sarcastic reply, or a response in the least, but she just stared at him for a long hard pause. He stared back, and for a moment everything was still around them.

"Why do you care so much?" A smirk formed on his lips.

"You think I care about your pathetic life? It is as insignificant as the oaf's." His words cut at her, the warm breath of his words barely touching her. It was then she was realizing the night was not only bringing darkness, but bringing in the cold as well.

"Hm," she replied, rolling her eyes before turning her back to him. Her eyes widened as he had grabbed her arm and swung her body around roughly so her back hit the tree which was just beside her.

"It is not your fault you are human," he spoke out in a low whisper. "But however, you can learn and train to at least be able to defend yourself enough to stay alive."

"What if I don't want to learn?" She glared, her body jolting up, getting ready to shove him. She didn't even see it but she knew he had moved, because all she shoved was air. She turned towards where she felt him.

"Then I was wrong, and I will rescind training you to at least become half competent."

"Half competent?" She seethed, even though it was a question, she did not want an answer.

"Half competent to what, your standards? Who even said I would want to be leveled and appreciated by YOUR standards, hm? You are **no one** to me. Just some demon who saved me once from another demon. Congrat-u-fucking-lations on be a hero for a day."

Her words cut like ice, and Hiei growled before his hand shoved her back into the tree, a katana at her throat as his other hand now circled around her neck to keep her pinned to the tree. He could feel her fighting against him, but it was her eyes which challenged him the most.

"It would be idiotic of you to decline." He stated simply, completely detached. "It means after I train you, I won't be obligated to protect you, and I can be free to do as I wish."

"So what, a win-win for both of us, huh?" She snapped. "I am SO SORRY that I am taking up your precious time that you would rather spend with Yukina."

Sarcasm dripped from every word, and she gave another shove. She felt him tense up, and slight confusion she could read from his eyes until the unemotional mask returned to come back in place where he usually kept it. He hardened in a way she hadn't seen previously, a defensive nature surrounding him, and his attention seemed to be halfway somewhere else.

"You have one choice, onna." Hiei began to smirk; it was sinister and spewed goosebumps along her skin. A shiver, not the pleasant tingle from before, but one of fear raked her in a way she could not understand or comprehend. It was the feeling of fear that something was crawling all over you after spotting a spider in the corner of the ceiling. But instead, she felt the itch coming in three different places coming towards them.

"I will train you so I can be free of watching over you, or you can attempt to fight these low level demons heading your way solo." Three demons, she thought to herself. Why were they coming this way?

"I," she snapped, distracting herself from the fear. Katsumi glaring into him. Her hand came up and elbow went over his arm, bringing down her arm to remove his hand from her neck with all her body strength. He let go, not fighting the movement or using his own strength, his eyes widening by her boldness. Once free, she took a step closer, their bodies less than an inch distance between. Her lips barely touched his as she said with an unmatched fire.

"Do not need you," she finished, and he was gone before you could say Quidditch.

(bum bum bum... cliffhanger!)


	7. Chapter 7: A Praise Chorus

As soon as he left, it was if she had forgotten how to breathe. Her knees were locked to prevent the nervous shaking, which had snaked its way to her spine and her hands twitched. Mentally cursing herself for not sucking down her pride and putting herself in this predicament, she closed her eyes momentarily to attempt to regain some control she just felt she had moments ago. But she was not going to give him the satisfaction of getting off from doing his duty, it was backwards, and obviously backfired on her.

Katsumi tried to control the uneven breathing she spewed up after Hiei disappeared in the blink of an eye. She could still feel where his hand held around her throat, and her shoulder ached lightly from where he shoved her. Her back pressed against the tree, the final rays of sunshine gone from the brush of the forest. Similar to an asthma attack, which she hadn't had since she was a child, her lungs wheezed, and hazel eyes pierced through the darkness to try to see the things she felt heading her way. Even though she was under panic, she felt calm in a way that she was coming to a close with what was after her, and there was no time for anxiety.

 _That Hiei is an idiot, a jerk, and I wish he never attempted to save me the first time. I could have handled myself!_

She would not admit it out loud, but she was surprised by the strength of a demon like Hiei, able to sense anything from that far out. Kat was just sensing the danger now, and she wondered what that meant, maybe Hiei saw potential in training her and he was just not admitting that fact?

 _Get ahold of yourself, Kat_ , she cursed at herself. _Get mad, and take these suckers on and quit thinking about Hiei._

Though she was very thankful for Hiei, more so than she has ever been in her life, in that instant when those demons did manage to take their vendetta outside her subconscious mind and into her reality – and corrupted everything she has ever known in her life.

She knew the decision she should have made, but did not make. Characteristics of a typical human; the thought couldn't be retrieved from her brain. She was prideful, she was stubborn, even if it put her in a situation such as this. These were traits she did not inherit from her parents, but from a familiar loud mouth, grease ball she grew up with.

An energy she couldn't put her finger on what it was, flamed inside her. It was only seconds until she countered the dilemma she faced. Similar to adrenaline, but hotter to the touch this energy felt, making its presence known inside her; flowing through her veins. Katsumi found herself taking a defensive stance, and with her back still to the tree, a sense of confidence flooding into her.

Low hissing noises, snakelike and angry, sounded off surrounding near her in their own sick and twisted greeting. It was frustrating not being able to make them out between the shadows, and she almost jumped out of her skin when a light thump of the ground was made next to her. If it wasn't for the stillness between the trees that sounded throughout the miles of land, she knew she would not have heard a sound at all.

"You are an idiot to think if you can take these low levels on, and probably should have taken the fire apparition's offer," Master Genkai spoke roughly from the darkness, breaking the silence. Internally Kat was grateful that it was Genkai, and not Hiei. Like Hiei, she was anything but sweet, and she knew she was painfully truthful. It was less a hurt to her pride it being Genkai, and not Hiei.

"Although, your spiritual energy is what drew them here in the first place. Low levels such as these prey on the weak, and you are ignorant and have no training or knowledge to conceal your presence. They planned to leech off of you until there was nothing left."

"How could I have spiritual energy?"

Katsumi was confused, why was Master Genkai the first to inform her if she had any potential? The pink haired woman set a hand on her upper arm, her palm warm and commanding, and the younger woman could feel the energies around her slowly backing in confusion and the tides of energy inside her come to a still. The dangers of the forest seemed to be lost, and a peaceful calming aura filled the atmosphere.

"Let us return to the temple, I have temporarily concealed your energy, and we can continue this discussion. Unless, you absolutely want to embarrass yourself by fighting these snake demons," the sarcasm and amusement dripping in her voice as she glanced up at Kat with her wide, yet uninterested eyes.

"I think my ego has been bruised enough, to be honest Genkai."

Genkai returned with a smirked, her hands pulled behind her back as she led the way back after a nod. Katsumi strolled quietly in thought behind her, and as small as the pink haired lady was, and although Kat wasn't much taller, she found herself having a tough time keeping in the same pace. Master Genkai wasn't offering conversation either, and they quickly made it out of the forest together.

She tugged the side of her shirt, the night cool and cold. All she wore was her jean shorts and t-shirt that gave a sneak peak of midriff if she raised her arms in any way which way. No way for her to be dressed as she wondered the forest, but she needed a break goddammit. And it was humiliating for the woman to be saved by none other than her host. _Better than Hiei_ , she thought angrily, brushing a strand of hair from her face. The black hair forming ringlet curls around her in their own frizzy chaos. Since she had turned in her two weeks, she let her hair run wild.

As they neared the temple, she could feel heated eyes on her, and her head turned in direction to them. Crimson eyes glared at her from a tree branch, and her face went from thoughtful to threatening in less than a second before she snapped her head from him in a huff.

 _How dare he give me an ultimatum like that_!

Kurama was not too far from the scene as he appeared out of nowhere with a bag over his shoulder. Bruises and marks of battle cried out on his visible flesh, and he walked with a slight swagger. He himself had just returned from Gandara, getting ambushed with some rebel bandits while visiting Yomi. He had news to and latest gossips around.

Buried into personal thoughts as he saw the exchange between the two with heated looks, and inquisitive emerald eyes peered up at his friend with curiosity. He strolled up to the tree Hiei perched himself up on, and leaned his back against the base of the tree, refraining from a slight wince. It was a few moments of silence before Hiei, annoyed, growled out at his friend,

"What do you want fox? I see you got yourself into trouble."

"You left Katsumi in harm's way. That isn't like you to deliberately throw away a mission. And yes, if you must know, some rogue bandits tried to have their way with me." The fox demon rolled his eyes, often getting mistaken for a female, even from his own kind.

"Hn." Knowing by the barely audible response, Kurama knew there was much more to than what he was leading on.

"You think she could have stood a chance," he whispered out into the silence between them. He heard Hiei shift in his spot, and the fox demon placed his hands into his pocket.

"We do not know why a demon is pursuing her, unless you have something to share," he scoffed, obviously his annoyance growing towards Kurama. The redhead refused to acknowledge it, as he has learned after all these years. If anyone, he was more in tuned with Hiei's moods and ways than the others in the group. He tried to conceal his smirk, knowing he was pushing Hiei's buttons.

"I have a few things to share with everyone. So were you intended to let nature take its course and see if she held any sort of strength of her own while you let her solo it out?"

"Obviously, she had something for those demons to come ambushing out of nowhere to peak an interest. Although, not enough reason why a demon like Onmyoji would take the steps he has. That power we felt is a tenth of the strength of the oaf's. It's damn pitiful is what it is."

Without a word, Kurama kicked off from the tree to make his way to the temple. A quick black blur, and Hiei trailed in step behind Kurama, his hands shoved inside his black pant bottoms. The faster they get the why's and who's and what's of this mission, the faster he could return to the Makai… Though he wouldn't admit it, it allowed him reasons to be near Yukina without raising suspicions to her. The last few times he came to the temple, he had been almost positive she was going to approach him; she had been unrelenting in asking about a certain favor… If he could maybe use the Jagan to find her long lost brother. The irony…

Genkai did not lead Katsumi into the main rooms where she heard her friends laughing and talking about with one another. A room with a fire pit in the center. Different lanterns hung around, and even as many of them lit, the corners and edges of the room were unseen behind the shadows.

"Sit," she commanded.

Among the pillows around the fire pit, Katsumi picked her spot and sat, hands resting comfortably on top of her knees as she crossed them. Genkai sat cross legged as well across from her. The fire was low so they could see face to face beyond the flames.

"That pretty boy has returned from demon world, and he is informing the rest of the news he has received from Gandara." Kat blinked her eyelashes a bit before a brow was quirked, waiting for Genkai to continue.

"It appears Onmyoji is an assassin, a human hunter, who takes particular steps to make sure he tortures his victims before offing them." Genkai was studying her face as she processed this news, skeptical about how much Kat really knew.

"Why would… why would someone hire a demon to kill me?" The confliction shown across her face, and Genkai knew she had a gut feeling about something, and wasn't coming forward.

"I was hoping you could tell me." Katsumi's face flushed before falling to look at her lap, shaking her head.

"After I left Japan the first time, I travelled a lot," she began, biting her lip to think back. Genkai sat there, eyes intent on the young girl. "Before returning to Japan, I was living in Germany. I was becoming rather serious with a guy named Michael. He was the head department leader of a well-known organization in Germany, and my parents were considering to do business with them.

At one of the grand charity parties… I think I saw something I was not supposed to," her voice grew lower as she talked, her eyes squinting in frustration as she tried to sort what her gut was telling me. Scenes from the charity event flooding her senses as she replayed the night in her head.

"All I knew, was that I felt wrong suddenly being there. I felt disgusting, I felt on alert, and I knew I _shouldn't_ be with Michael. I told my parents, that my gut instinct is that they should not go through with the deal. They didn't question me on it, and I decided enough travelling... I needed to be home with family."

"I see. What did you see that made your instinct question your surroundings?"

"I was on my way to the lady's room, and I got lost. I went down a hallway and saw Michael talking to a large man. He reminded me of a human hulk. He was carrying something in his arms, it was long, and around my size, and I could've sworn... I had felt… heavy. I am not sure…." She stumbled with the right words, recollecting her feelings.

"Death. I had felt death radiating in his arms. When he turned to go to the elevator I saw long black hair fall out of what I got a better look at... a bag, of some sort. Just as I had backed up, I knew Michael had spotted me as the elevators closed. I remember being a deer in headlight as his gaze pierced me. In that moment, he was not the man I knew." Kat shuddered lightly.

"But… hiring a demon to come kill me? I am not even sure what I saw, Genkai."

"After all the evil I have seen in this world, I would not doubt it for a second, Katsumi." That was the first time the older woman addressed her by her name, and stood up to leave the room from where they entered. Kat sat there as she watched the woman leave into the darkness.

"I will inform the others, I have no doubt this is what and why you were placed in harms way. Oh, and tomorrow morning," Kat could feel the woman pause, even if she could not see her, and she looked off in the distance to where the voice came from.

"We will start your training. You have a gift and it should not be wasted."

 **Author's Note:** This chapter is not as long as I wanted it to be, but it's been a few weeks since I have updated. I feel super guilty, but school has been pulling me from my muse, and we are at a standstill. Forgive me! I am brainstorming some ideas, and if anyone wants to do so with me, just send a PM or review! I would love to hear your guy's feedback, and get my creativity and inspiration back on track. **xoxo Holding Onto Faith**


	8. Chapter 8: Sad And Guilty Ways

**Author's Note:** I have been on vacation, visiting family across the country. I also just started school shortly after, so it's been hell of a crazy long time since I have posted, and I am so sorrrrryyyyy. I also hit a writer's block, and it totes sucks. Sorry for the delays! I want to get back to posting on a weekly basis! I am so sorry, too, because halfway through this chapter I hit a writer's block. Throw ideas my way, and comment/review/give feedback. I love to hear it, and I love having ya'll as readers 3 **Xoxo Holding Onto Faith**

 **Also shoutout to** **Myara, (again),** **for always giving me motivation and inspiration to keep on! It has made the biggest difference.**

P.S.: I was tired of ya'll waiting, so this chapter was rushed a bit. So forgive me. When I get the time tomorrow, I will reread it for some proofreading/minor editing, but I am happy with the way the chapter turned out considering I have been not feeling my muse.

The frustration and agitation that was building up inside the black haired girl only intensified as a certain evil old woman whacked her on the back of her knees. Kat winced and fell forward, hands reaching out to protect her from the fall that awaited her. Who knew of the power that could come from such a tiny old human, and she barked another order at her new student,

"Again."

Squaring her shoulders after bringing herself upright, Kat held hands with palms out and placed them side by side. Inside her palm was a 50lb ball. Physically, the ball was wearing on her, but she spread her legs to strengthen her stance regardless of the difficulty, and bent slightly at the knees. The goal she was to complete was to lift the ball with her spiritual energy alone.

Katsumi was having the utmost trouble even getting this energy to her palms. It was horseshit, she thought, that she could barely physically keep up with the weight to be instructed to also lift it with her spiritual energy. She could feel it inside, her spirit energy, the meditation they both did that morning with Shizuru joining them, had awoken some of her spiritual senses, and a flame purred inside her. A flame she was having difficulty in controlling.

"You are not pushing hard enough," Genkai scowled, hands tucked behind her back as she observed disapprovingly. Kat felt her temple throb in annoyance.

"I am not sure how else to approach this! I haven't even seen the damn energy. I can just feel it." The frustration was clear on her face with every word as she narrowed eyes at the ball with agitation.

"It may help if you quit whining about it, and visualize it," the chastising instruction came, very observant eyes trained over her. The pink haired woman circled Kat slowly. "Quit thinking, it's useless to you here. You're spending too much time in trying to see something, instead of using that attention to exert your spirit energy. Quit trying to see it, feel it."

A long deep breath inhaled, and slowly exhaled to release the tension and throbbing temple the girl had from the older woman's instruction. But, she did comply without a retort, and she closed her eyes to help in the process. Some metaphor, she thought, she needed to visualize it in order for it to become reality.

Another long deep exhale, and she took the time to actually feel what was inside her. Her mind pushed and reached, and she could feel it as if it was a feather brushing along her skin in a delicate, but fierce force. Once she could place her thumb on it, and picture it in her hand, she visualized the energy around her slowly scaling to her forearms.

Sweat began to bead along her forehead, but she continued to slowly elaborate and intensify the scenery of moving her energy inside her head. The long deep breaths helped her keep her thoughts away, and the energy slid up her forearms to her palms. This process felt like it was taking forever, but it was happening in mere seconds under Genkai's watch. She bit her lip, because this would be the most challenging part yet, and she could feel her physical energy draining with her arms shaking with exhaustion.

Katsumi readjusted her feet and pulled her elbows in to her sides to help her manage her physical strength with her spiritual energy. Bracing herself, she visualized her energy coming out of her palms, and her fingers became tingly to the touch, but she kept pushing, and that tingling sensation raked up and down her hands and forearms.

"Good job. You have successfully lifted the ball from your palms. Now you will hold that position for 12 hours."

Kat's eyes flashed open at Genkai in disbelief, and she cursed mentally as she almost let her grip slip, but she realized she was not alone. Her teacher, her instructor, was right beside her with another ball, but the ball she had was 100lbs heavy, doing the same thing with her own energy and lifting it with her spiritual energy.

Her energy was stable, and used at a minimal for great stamina and endurance, and Kat looked at her own palms in disbelief. Hers was a lot wilder, uncontrolled, and radical than Genkai's. As if reading her mind, the old woman responded,

"In time, your energy will be refined, and you will learn to control it so you can use the minimum you need to achieve what you need. No spirit energy used will go unused or wasted. It will take discipline. This is a way your physical and spiritual strength to increase. Your mind still thinks you're holding 50lbs, but yet it is just your spiritual energy increasing."

Convincing herself she was not going to think about how much this was going to suck, she decided to close her eyes and daydream. All while trying to make sure her arms did not fall off, and that she kept her pose alongside Genkai's. She would not be able to handle the old woman's disappointment. It seemed like it would be a worse guilt than if she were to have disappointed her mother, Mrs. Yukimura.

Katsumi could barely move off of the grass floor, and her eyes opened to find herself alone. It had been the longest, most dreadful 12 hours of her life, and as a nurse she had had some pretty long shifts and terrible nights. Every bone, every muscle, every part of her psyche ached with a cry that she couldn't even begin to think of how to make better. A thick layer of sweat coated her skin, and her throat and body quenched for a thirst of water.

But in her sports bra and shorts, she was still overheated. Similar to a computer that was running too many programs at once while trying to maintain optimal speed; that was how her body felt. Kat had managed to remove her socks and gym shoes so her feet could breathe. The ground below her felt cool in comparison, and was one of the only reasons she did not move to go retire to a bed.

"Damn, Kitty Kat, Genkai put you to work!" A wide cocky grin shown above her, and Kat glared up at Yusuke with a vengeance. She was too tired to get up and smack him, and too tired to come up with a witty retort.

"It gets easier, the old hag is brutal," he sympathized suddenly, seeing the discontent among her face along with the silence, and he took a seat next to her for the moment. He could see the wear and tear in her body and mind, and he couldn't make fun of the situation like he normally would.

"We're going to find the son of a bitch who hired this demon," he vowed, suddenly looking dead serious into her face. She took a deep breath, and she allowed the worried look to overtake her façade. Finally finding her voice, she responded after clearing her throat,

"I'm afraid it might be someone I know personally, Yusuke."

"What the hell do you mean by that?" His huge forehead was immediately raked with angry lines, his body sitting straight as he turned to look at her intently.

"I informed Genkai, you should ask her. I am way too tired to dive into that. I can hardly stand just laying here. Everything hurts."

Yusuke's brow furrowed but he stood, the tension clear in his form, only to bend down and scoop Kat into his arms effortlessly. A small gasp left her before she winced, trying to adjust herself for comfort.

"You are my family, Kat." He stated, looking forward as he walked to the temple. "I don't believe we are born with the family we have," Kat knew of his drunk mom, his absentee dad, and that being the only biological family he knew. "I believe we choose our family. Regardless of you being Keiko's cousin, you are my family, and families protect one another."

It was unusual for him to go into a serious conversation with her, usually Kuwabara and he would be idiots and he would be a prankster to the other members of the group, but that leadership quality she saw in him when she first returned to Japan shined throughout him now.

"You are my family, too, dumbass," she smirked up at him, trying to lighten the conversation.

"Hokushin should be here either today or tomorrow to inform me of any news from Tourin. Hiei hasn't heard word from Alaric, but we should know something soon from them too."

"I know I am in good hands, Yusuke, you don't have to reassure me." He grinned his stupid boyish grin.

Yusuke had the decency of placing her down on her bed, she had declined a shower. A low grumble growled in her stomach, and she was too tired to feel embarrassed or bothered. The smell from the kitchen easily traveled up the stairs, and she embraced it wholly. As if on que, Yukina came up shortly to her room with a tray, food for an army littering the tray in an arranged assortment.

"Wow, Yukina, you didn't have to do this," Kat replied, her eyes opening and widening at the ice maiden's entrance to her bedroom after a polite knock. Her stomach rumbled in a silent protest, that she must have the food or else.

"You will be training hard, and you need to eat a meal that will help you endure the training." She smiled sweetly down at Kat, and the girl instantly made her feel warmed up to the touch. _No wonder Hiei has his eyes set on… wait a minute._ Katsumi took the time to notice the familiar crimson eyes. _No way!_ Shaking her head, she thanked Yukina again.

"It really is no problem, Miss Kat."

After Yukina left, and after she scarfed down the meal and the large glass of water, Katsumi passed out in her sweat and all, and lulled into a deep slumber.

A week passed by, and Genkai observed her student. In just a week alone, the girl has made great improvements, but Genkai's techniques were known to have a low failure rate. Hence, why so many across the world, little did Katsumi know, would travel just to be her student. She never thought she would take another student after the spirit detective, and now she had a few. Unbeknownst to the team, the females, which included Kuwabara, were getting trained underneath Genkai.

In their own ways, they each had a potential. Shizuru was enhancing her sixth sense like her baby brother, Yukina was working on new techniques to develop her healing abilities, Katsumi was working on turning her spirit energy into a physical form, and even Keiko was there to see if she had potential. Genkai had given her a slip of paper, and it turned red, letting her know that Katsumi wasn't the only one in the Yukimura household to be spiritually aware. With Keiko, it was just much harder to awake than it was for Katsumi.

The girls kept all this from the guys. Genkai thought it would be the best idea, considering they were staying at the temple regardless. Also, because in the real world, women were the prime target to get under the man's skin. Keiko having been an example of this more than once, and the girls were tired of it as well. Especially Katsumi, considering this was all new to her. She was still adjusting to the reality that the boogeyman, and the monster in the closet were real.

A harsh wind blew in against Kat's face as she stood against the trunk of a tree. Her hair was tied up in a thick messy bun, and she wore a knit sweater with shorts. The morning was cool, but she knew in time it would quickly warm up. White tennis shoes with no socks kicked at the ground beneath her.

Sundays were her breaks from training, and she looked out into the open field. Sighing, she narrowed her eyes to scan the edge of the thrush, as if waiting for something to come out of the dark forest and challenge her. Ever since that day, which felt like centuries ago from now, she was on edge whenever she wandered into the forest.

Hiei was right, not everyone was always going to be there, and it was good that she was training. Even though she was training on her spirit power, she was physically getting stronger as well. She could feel her muscles, tight and tone beneath her clothes. At least she was feeling confident in being able to somewhat handle herself, and that was a start.

The old lady did mention to her that it may do her good to swallow her pride and accept training from Hiei, but there was no passing Kat's look of disdain. Even though in the pit of her stomach she felt an attraction to him here and there when he shadowed the group, she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of being right.

It was depressing, she missed working in the neonatal, she missed her patients, she missed her life outside of the temple. The one she had before demons came knocking on her door.

A confidence was flaming inside her to be wondering the woods again, and her hands circled around a large mug filled with tea and brought it to her lips to drinks slowly. Her eyes flinched lightly, seeing in the reflection of the tea a black figure above her. Inwardly, she growled, annoyed that she didn't sense him sooner. That too, took practice to hone.

"What are you doing here," she whispered lowly, knowing now that he could hear her. Thanks to Yukina she was filled in with what demons could be capable of – and it was terrifying, but in that moment Yukina also filled her in on her experience of what humans were capable of – and that was also very terrifying. She felt sad for the ice maiden, whose first experience with humans was slavery.

"Hn. Making sure you don't get eaten alive."

"You didn't care so much before," she bit back, and she could hear a smirk form at the sound of her agitation. He was fucking with her, what the hell, she thought. She didn't even hear him jump down and land beside her. Her eyes narrowed into her cup of tea as she took another sip.

"I'm getting stronger, and I think I can handle myself pretty well."

"Your thinking isn't going to get you very far, and your standard of 'pretty well' does not mean much."

"It will. Rome wasn't built in a day, you know." She looked up to catch Hiei's face, and the look of confusion built upon it.

"It's an idiom, a figure of speech. Rome was a great place, and it didn't take a day to make it that way. It took time," she explained, her voice levelled and gentler than before.

"We've got company," Hiei said suddenly, his hand going to the pummel of his katana, and his brows were drawn together in distaste. Katsumi's eyes widened and she set Genkai's mug down at her feet. She wouldn't admit it out loud, but she was following his lead and took a fighting stance, knees bent slightly and her hands held up beside him. In a blink of an eye he was gone. What felt like forever, but was just a few seconds, she heard rustling in the bushes.

A figure was thrown into the ground in front of her. He was a large figure, one she recognized very easily, and it quirked a brow from her as she stared at him. He was dressed very casually with an envelope in his hands as he rose to stand. Dusting himself off, familiar green eyes met her. His blonde hair was buzzed, and he squared his shoulders at her. Kat gulped, feeling fear course through her all of a sudden. It was as if he had known her deepest, darkest fears with the way he was looking at her. His name was Wolfgang. He was Michael's head of security.

"It took me awhile to find you, Ms. Yukimura." Hiei stood off in the distance of the field, watching the scenery unfold before them. He looked more relaxed than before, but his stance and frame did not change. As ever, he looked ready to make his move the second he needed to interfere, but his curiosity was just as bad as Mitten's.

"Where's Michael?" Her voice was lowered, and the confidence from before seeped out of her replaced by guilt, fear, and betrayal all in one.

"He's still in Germany, doing business. He sent me to give you this." He handed the manila folder to her, and she stood away from the tree to accept it.

"All the way from Germany to hand deliver an envelope?"

"He wanted to make sure it got into the right hands."

"Well, well," a rough voice came from none other than Genkai herself. The faded pink hair veiled her face before she lifted her view to look up at the man with cold, but amused eyes. "It seems like anyone thinks they can just show up without an invitation on my lands." Hiei smirked slightly, and Kat nervously looked between the two. Yusuke mentioned Hiei was a telepath, but she thought maybe he was fucking with her at the time. Maybe not so much anymore. _Why would Hiei ask for Genkai to intervene?_

Just like Hiei, Genkai was fast, and disappeared from view. Kat clutched the envelope nervously before look at everyone's three faces once Genkai reappeared right beside her. Wolfgang held his composure, but he looked sick to the stomach, and in a flash, he was also gone. _Damn,_ Kat thought, _I would've liked an answer._

"Don't forget my mug on the way your way back," the old woman spoke, hands behind her back as she walked in the direction back to the temple. Kat tilted her head at Hiei, who just shook his head at her. _Maybe he was afraid they would be overheard?_ So Kat bent to also pick the mug back up by the tree before following in suit behind Hiei, who also was heading back to the temple.

 _This is silly,_ Kat thought to her head, but she tried to aim her thoughts at Hiei. As silly as it sounded, she asked outloud, at him,

 _'_ _Hiei?'_

 _'_ _Hn. What onna?'_

 _'_ _What was that about? What did Genkai do?'_

 _'_ _She stuck him with a ward, which urged him to leave, it would with most humans, which is probably what he only thinks she has done. The stupid oaf. She placed a device that baka onna Botan brought from Spirit World.'_

 _'_ _Should I worry about this envelope?'_

Hiei turned to her, walking several steps. She felt his examination over her face and her skin crawled with a hot flush.

"That's not a question I would ask someone else. Are you worried about what is in that envelope." It was a question, but he stated it. Yes, of course she was worried. She hadn't heard from Michael since that night, and the thought that he may be behind all of this… that was also scary.

"Whatever Hiei," she cleared her throat, trying to mask the blush on her face as she marched passed him.

She marched all the way to her room, the folder tight in her hand. She couldn't even bring herself to look at the others. She wanted to get this over with.

Plopping onto her bed, which was far from made. There were pillows and blankets everywhere. She took her nail and opened the envelope from one side and dumped the contents out on the bed. It was a letter, a rose, and a prepaid phone.

 ** _Katya,_**

 ** _If you have gotten this, and I should know soon,_**

 ** _It means you're alive._**

 ** _It took me awhile to find you, I knew you would head back_**

 ** _To your family, but Wolfgang and I have used our resources_**

 ** _To check everywhere. Finally._**

 ** _I need to see you, face to face. I know you broke things off…_**

 ** _But I need to know that you are okay,_**

 ** _You are in grave danger because of me._**

 ** _Please reach me soon._**

\- **_Michael_**

Below there was an address, a telephone number, and how to use the prepaid phone. Katsumi's stomach was tied in knots, and she felt it difficult to breathe. The warmth and cold that flooded her made her heart go into overdrive, she didn't know how to process this. Everything seized, as if she became a part of this alternate reality and nothing was real. Her skin prickled with a protective layer of spirit energy, as if her spirit was trying to calm her, but her vision blurred.

A hand pressed on her shoulder hard, and crimson eyes gazed into hers. Slowly the eyes became focused for her, and it was her first time seeing Hiei's bandana lifted, and a third eye glowed down into her. The next she knew she was floating into darkness.


	9. Chapter 9: Take Me

_**To my wonderful readers: I am so sorry that I have not posted in a few months. Many distractions, but I think about this fanfic almost daily, and about my readers who are waiting on me. I promise, I have not forgotten.**_

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Katsumi sat cross legged on her bed as she stared down at the envelope and prepaid phone. It was pitiful she couldn't just pick up the phone like a normal person. Pick up the phone and call her exboyfriend, lover thing, who she was sure was up to some underground black market demon shit, who may possibly have hired a demon human killer hunter person to come kill her for what she saw, and have a nice chitchat. It was now or never.

Grabbing the phone, she flipped it open, where Michael had obviously stored his own number, and hit the talk button. It was a simple prepaid phone, not fancy, but got the discreet job done. Ringing in her ear, she got off the bed to begin pacing with each ring, her other hand reaching up so she could bite her nail. The line answered, and Michael's cool voice entered from the other end,

"Kat, stop biting your nails." She huffed internally, her breathing ragged, lowering her hand from her mouth begrudgingly. It was annoying, and her irritated stare could, and would, confirm it. He knew her nervous tics. This was one of them.

"What, you expect this call wouldn't have made me edgy?"

"I rather talk about certain incidents in person."  
"I can't just rack up my bags and come to Germany whenever you want. I am purposely trying to stay in the shadows," she whispered, her heart racing. Her stomach was doing girlish turns in her stomach. "You have no idea how much danger I was in, and still could be."

"Well then, I will come to you, and I will protect you. I miss you, Katya," it was almost as if he she could feel the breath against her ear as he whispered the last apart.

"Don't call me that," she snapped, her hand returning to her mouth to bite at her thumb nail. "And I don't need your protection," she added. She could hear the hurt in his voice, and he quickly masked it. His business demeanor, where he put up his walls, came slamming down hard.

"I will come, but I'm going to bring someone with me."

"Oh, new boyfriend?" He sniped sarcastically. She could almost hear a protective jealousy in his voice that ran deeply down her spine. Nostalgia filled her head and heart, but she swallowed back the lump in the back of her throat to push it away.

"None of your damn business, you lost that opportunity."

"And you never gave an explanation. You just moved back to Japan."  
"Damn right I did after what I saw."

"You don't know what you saw, you didn't even give me a chance to explain."

Kat could feel her spine stiffen and she sat down on the bed. There was a moment between them of silence, and oddly she felt at peace within this silence, where nothing but the faint sound of their breath was heard… before Michael spoke once again.

"I have to go. You can bring whomever." Then there was a click at the end of the line.

Katsumi could feel her heart hammering in her chest when a knock at the door caused her to jolt out of her skin.

"Is everything alright?" It was Keiko, she could tell by the underlying worry that traced her words as she spoke.

"You can come in Keiko," tears brimmed at her eyes as her cousin came in. Kat knew those worried eyes as well as her cousin knew her sad ones.

"I feel so lost," she whispered out.

"With this Michael?" Keiko nodded towards the letter before sitting across from Kat, arms crossed as she assessed the situation. Kat dropped the burner phone, now flipped closed, on the bed.

"Yeah, I feel confused and lost. To me, there's a special place where he feels like home, but at the same time like one of the most thrill riding roller coasters. I am always feeling something strong with him, good and bad, and I can't pinpoint if it's him himself I feel in my gut to stay away from… or what he may be involved with," a few tears fell from her cheeks, and a warm hand was placed over hers.

"Sometimes you need to see it through before to find out if it's meant to be… If it's meant to be, it'll happen. I know," her voice softened even further, "that it is terribly cliché of me to say, but it's true. There was a long time I thought Yusuke was never coming back from Demon World, and I just almost gave up… when he showed up… Late as ever." There was an eyeroll that followed before the two girls laughed all too knowingly.

"Like there was ever any doubt of you and Yusuke, Keiko," Kat said with almost too much seriousness and Keiko blushed.

"Anyways" she began, changing the subject back. "This does not mean he has my blessing. After all, he could be dangerous. Since Koenma and everyone thinks it's best if Hiei sticks to your side, I'm sure nothing will happen. Trust your instincts, they're good."

Kat smiled up at her warmly, and she pulled her cousin into a tight hug. A small thank you was echoed between the embrace.

"It makes me feel much better. But Michael, he's like, my stomach is exploded with butterflies, and at the same time I want to throw up and run away."

"Sounds way too intense," Keiko giggled lightheartedly. "But that sounds like you are in love."

"Yooooooungggg loooooove!" A cheery voice echoed from out of nowhere, causing both the girls to yelp. Just outside the open window, Botan was smiling, riding her oar.

"Kami fucking hell, Botan!" Kat cursed, her heart feeling like it rolled in her chest. "Why do you always have to do that! My heart can't take it."

"Sorry ladies," she pouted. "I heard you were going to Germany with Hiei, and I wanted you to have this!" Botan handed Kat a pen from the window. She reached out to grab it before examining.

It was a rather thick pen, like the kind that had multiple inks in one. Except at the top it had a small crystal ball that seemed it could turn. A little circle was down just below it, a sort of display. It had different things and grooves on it towards the top, but overall, just looked like a huge pen. _Or a kinky vibrator_ , Kat's dirty mind laughed inwardly.

"That is one of Spirit World's newly developed devices!"

"Are you sure you guys aren't a private eye agency in disguise?"

"Now that you mention it… We do have a base in the Americas…" She trailed off before flailing her hands up in the air excitedly.

"This is if you run into trouble while you are away and for some reason Hiei isn't around. Not ONLY does it have a Spirit World only GPS, meaning we can find you wherever you may be, but it has a sensor on it so if it even thinks you're in trouble, we can simply tune in to what's going on." Botan indicated to the side button where there was small holes next to it.

"It also has a mic, and you just hold down on it and you can talk as low as possible. NOW-"

"There's more?!" Keiko and Katsumi asked at once. This was incredulous, even for Spirit World.

"Honey, this is Spirit World technology at its finest! There's many uses to this special 'pen', that we still haven't found a name for. It's technically not even 'out' for distribution yet."

"Wow, don't I feel special," Kat muttered, feeling slightly embarrassed by all this.

"Certain perks to being related to the Urameshi team," she winked before carrying on. Keiko and Kat exchanged glances as she continued.

"Now, this crystal right here will flash different colors depending on who you are with or around. Black is for S class demons, Silver for A class, and a light blue for low class demons. There are some other colors too, which is why there's this manual I am going to give you. Now, pushing down on the crystal is the panic button. Meaning your cutie patootie better be close to death," Botan wagged her finger at the girl. "Meaning the whole Spirit Defense Force will be swooping in."

"Ah, the fun part about this model," Botan grinned. "Twisting the crystal will change it to an item. The item of what it is, is on that little display where it will show. And then tap the screen.

Kat looked at it in her hands before twisting, and sure enough a picture of a bat showed on the screen. Kat tapped the picture with her thumb, and she and Keiko squealed as a long aluminum bat formed in her hand from where she held the pen. On the base of the bat was a button, and Kat pressed the button before Botan could say, and it transformed back into a pen.

"This is making me feel like a superhero; this is a really nifty pen. Does it write?" Kat turned back to the ferry girl with a quirked eyebrow, and Botan immediately threw her arms up.

"NO NO NO, do not write with it. Before I forget, if you try to write with it… it'll cut through whatever you try to write on, depending on how hard you push. **DO NOT** write with it. It can cut through most materials. A laserbeam, if you will, will slice through you if you aren't careful. So here!"  
Botan tossed a cap to put on the pen along with the manual, and Kat quickly did before she did anything else.

"You know if the military had things…"

"You are not to expose-"

"She knows, Botan, I think she was just thinking out loud. It's hard to get used to this secret world with the things it's capable of." The girl nodded before she waved a bye and sped off on her oar.

"She just comes and goes so quickly," Kat joked lightly as she watched Botan speed off, and her hand encircled the pen nervously. _Was she up for this trip?_

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 _ **Author's Note 2.0**_ : I am so sorry this chapter is so short. I promise the next chapter is going to be much, much, much longer. I really wanted to give you guys something, anything, so you know this fanfic is still on the very forefront of my mind.

I have an idea for how I want to start it, the next chapter, and couldn't think of much to add here. I am sorry it has been so long since I have posted, but since I am on Fall break, I think I am going to have several chapters posted this week! - Holding Onto Faith


	10. Chapter 10: Friend To A Stranger

**Author's Note: I know I promised things, but life got crazy. Got engaged, entered nursing school... Family stuff happened as well. You all know how life goes, and I'm sorry to leave ya'll in the dark! I've been thinking about this for a long time now, and finally got a chance on Thanksgiving break (just started, woohoo), to sit down and write. I'm sorry it's short, I rather it longer, but I have a whole week ahead of me to get some more chapters in… hopefully.**

 **–** **xoxo Holding Onto Faith**

"No," his voice rang out again in pure agitation, as if slightly elevating his voice would get his point across. Kat scoffed at this, she has dealt with her share of children, and Hiei was acting no different. His eyes were filled with annoyance as he stared into the human's impatient ones. This was her shenanigans, and he was just here to make sure she didn't hurt herself, as per wishes of the detective and spirit world.

 _Typical ningen_ , he thought with irritation, his teeth almost grinding together. She had just finished getting her stuff to the baggage claim and they were both in front of their terminal.

Hiei did not fly, nor get in any other form of ningen transportation device, but this ningen was motivated to get this particular demon on it. She knew this from when she moved from her first apartment into her house, which she still didn't get to live in.

Kat was determined to get him on this plane. It was the only way she was going to Germany.

"We're cutting the time really close, we need to find our seats **ASAP**! Yours and I's tickets are already bought and paid for."

Courtesy of Spirit World. Seriously, they could've offered a portal instead, but they had worried about it becoming intercepted by whatever it was after Katsumi.

The fire apparition stared at her, unamused, with his arms crossed over his chest while the flight attendant at the front of the terminal was checking her watch and raising an eyebrow to the couple. Smart of her to choose not to intervene just yet, Kat thought, and she slung her handbag around her head so the strap lay across her chest.

There was only one thing to do, she would have to use reverse psychology on the demon to get him to board.

As well as a logical, enough reason that even Hiei couldn't deny otherwise. It was worth a shot. Trying to get Hiei to do something he didn't want to do was like getting a child to eat their vegetables.

It was going to have to take some creativity.

It's not like she was already nervous enough, but have to convince this stubborn, hardheaded demon to board the plane with her. It was infuriating.

"Hiei, please. I mean, if you're scared… I can't guarantee that a demon isn't on the plane waiting to kill me, but if you want to take that risk-"

It was honestly perfect, she saw a vein twitch in his forehead, and she didn't even see him approach to her and snatch the boarding ticket from her hand. He shoved the thing at the flight attendant who gasped and eyes widened when he zoomed off.

It was a very difficult flight at first. Katsumi had to manage to keep her face straight from the estranged looks that overcame Hiei's face during takeoff. She watched as his knuckles turned white from clenching tightly to his seat. It was the most uncomfortable she has ever seen him, the least confident he's ever been around her.

 _Hmph_ , Kat thought, _so he can be vulnerable._ Granted, she has seen some of the manliest of men brought to complete vulnerability when they found out something has gone wrong with their child, or themselves for that matter. Therefore, it should not surprise her to see someone with no apparent weaknesses to show some vulnerability.

But it absolutely did.

At that moment, she could feel the heat on her face as Hiei glared at her. _I'm pretty sure he can read my thoughts_ , Kat thought, slowly turning her head to look back at him. She reached into her pocket slowly, rolling the headphones around her phone, popping them into her ears, and hooking her music up. She faintly heard him huff and turn to look out the window. She would figure it out for sure later. The rest of the ride, even the landing, was fairly quiet, and she was alright with just that.

As Hiei followed her to pick up her baggage, the nerves inside her stomach swam. It has been awhile since she has even seen a picture of Michael, and his image completely filled the forefront of her mind.

It has been far too long, in her mind, he was simply breathtaking, and Hiei gave her an estranged look.

Coming to, she smirked at Hiei. "See. I knew you could read minds," most people would think she meant figuratively, but she most certainly meant literally. He scoffed at her before nodding to behind her.

 _Raindrops splattered down on the windowpane before slowly drizzling downwards. Two arms curled around her in a strong, but comfortable embrace. Both their gazes graced along the green wet scenery wrapped between the warm sheets. Incense burned on the dresser, dragon's blood, and it mixed with the scent of rain that clouded the room. The window was left cracked open, drops filling on the windowsill._

 _There wasn't a moment she felt safer, secure, or exposed at the same time. It was vulnerability she cradled close to her chest and held tight to, what a way to be completely exposed, but have someone take you as if you were such a marvelous mystery for his or her eyes to discover._

 _To long for, and collect every drop of rain inside of you, conquer you, and become the captain of your treacherous sea…_

Michael Katzinksy bore down into her eyes, it was easy because he was tall and broad, the rest of the airport being irrelevant to him. There was obviously a tension between them, a gravitational pull, and her eyes matched up into his.

It was a hallmark moment, that scenario in a movie where a revelation is made, but unlike those movies or cards, the ending was unknown.

That moment, the wet green, muddy scenery of that morning memory lay in his eyes.

It was Hiei's eyes, aimed at the back of her head, which kept her from drowning in Michael's. He was dressed in a sharp suit, normal for him, and his face carried a rough rugged beard. There was a still wildness in his eyes, as if being lost in the eye of the storm, and his mousy brown hair was as unkempt as his facial hair. He held the same approach that reminded her of her mother. Cold, quick, and silent as the night.

However, in his eyes, she saw a fire that she could kinder to...

"Shall we be going, Katzinksy?" Wolfgang asked gruffly, the obvious dilemma to come making him uncomfortable. He was a meter back or so, dressed in a familiar style to Katzinksy. His green eyes hidden behind large shades. He was totally rocking the stereotypical bodyguard guise, Kat thought with a smirk, finally managing to break contact with Michael. She was one of the few to address him by his first name, most people who didn't see his name on a check assumed it was Katzinksy. Instantly, Michael himself took her bags from her. He did not say one word to her, she didn't to him, and her stomach twisted in a knot.

Hiei's eyes drooped in the expectation of this being a rather dull, annoying, and uneventful babysitting mission.

As of course, he always was stuck with the job because he never disappointed. Always had the acquired and desired outcome, he could produce that. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but it was more appeasing to be at the temple and watch the big oaf and detective squabble and fight over kami knows what. Anything was more appealing than this, this and that harsh language they were speaking everywhere. Hiei has been many places, but this was one he most certainly did not like right off the bat.

There was a firm knock on the door, and Kat turned around after setting her suitcase right on the bed. A mirror hung on the wall to her right and she rechecked herself very quickly. It was as good as it was gonna get, she decided, her hair a hot curly mess, pulled into an equally messy bun. Some days, she swore her hair looked black and then other days it looked brown. There were dark circles under her eyes, and her black t-shirt was wrinkled from getting a nap on the plane. Jeans could survive the worse of things, and they hugged her legs perfectly all the way down to her converses.

"Come in!" Kat was surprised she was able to find her own voice, and Michael slid into the room and shut the door behind him. The two eyed each other for a long time, both faces filled with questions but never asked. What seemed to be five minutes passing before his face became hard and brows furrowed. Kat almost flinched back at the harshness, but it sent goose bumps over her, and her arms protectively settled crossed on her chest leaning her weight to one leg.

"So you said you'd explain yourself," she stated, filling the silence between them. He leaned his back against the wall next to the door, his own arms crossing.

"I did, but I have to know before I do..."

"Know what? What could you possibly want to know that you couldn't ask over the phone?" She snapped, not liking feeling this defensive.

"Are you so repulsed by me that you can't stand to even be in the same room with me?" He answered back sharply in a question to match her hostility. This time she did flinch, and a flash of a small regret waved over Michael. He pushed off the wall immediately and came towards her, and Kat couldn't help but feel her shoulders tense in preparation for anything. Hiei was in the next room, he'd surely hear if something went wrong, right?

Before she knew it, she was in his arms, and the beckoned her to relax against him. She almost did, and exhaled deeply into his chest before pulling away.

"I'm not repulsed by you," she began, taking this time to take a seat on the edge of the bed next to her bags. "I just, maybe its you. Maybe you have no idea. I didn't want to take that chance." His hand went to the back of his head as he let out a sigh, and took a seat next to her.

"What you saw was us trying to… to not cause a scene. I was the one who found her, it was nothing I haven't ever seen before. I won't lie to you," he said, placing his hand on her shoulder, turning his torso to her. His eyes held regret, pain, and something that made her want to reach out and take it all away from him. "I have done bad things before, I have seen some bad things as well. We all have our pasts, and I can't change this. But this girl, this girl was tortured, and not by something human. Something, someone, is after people like you."

"So... you're not trying to kill me?" She couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes, she knew it was cowardly, but she could feel him tense beside her as if she had just slapped him.

"I would never, Katya. I'm not behind the strings on this. I wouldn't kill if I had the option not to." An immediate gulp from her, as the words and meaning of them sunk down. It means he had killed, and she, her hands have saved lives. She couldn't imagine doing anything to take life away, it was something not a part of her. There wasn't a malicious bone in her body. Trying to ignore his choice of words, she looked at him.

"You mean people who are spiritually aware?"

"Yes."

"Is that all you know?"

"I'm trying to find out more. From what I can tell, they're trying to feed off of you in some way. Or take that spirit away from you. That girl had put up a fight, did something so she was unsuccessful." A wave of nausea filled over her, and though she was relieved she wasn't the only one, it made her uneasy. She had the former Urameshi team and Spirit World at her back. What about the person that didn't? How were they going to protect the?

"That's all I can come up with. I'm pressing into it, believe me, Katya."

"You can't just go meddling, Michael, you can get hurt." He gave her a surprised look before taking a deep laugh. Kat pulled back from him, her eyebrow raised and scanned him over.

"I may not be the strongest," he continued to laugh, amusement taken over him, "but you have no idea who I really am, Kat. Or what I've been through. You haven't a clue, and it's something... I was hoping I would never have to share with you, but that is for another time. I'm Michael Katzinksy, a successful business man, but as cliché as this is, there is more than meets the eye, my love." His hand came to her cheek, cupped it, and brought her in for a tender kiss. She wasn't quite sure how she felt, pulling him to her body and deepening the kiss with a longing she couldn't understand.

Whether the darkness was pushed behind her out of reach, or if danger embraced and coiled around her… she wasn't quite sure if there was safety in this darkness.


End file.
